REMINISCENCES 


THE    STOEY    OF    A.N    EMIGRANT 


HANS    MATTSOIST 

LATE  CONSUL  GENERAL  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  IN  INDIA 


SAINT   PAUL 

D.   D.    MERRILL    COMPAJSTY 

1892 


COPYRIGHTED  1891 

BY 

D.    D.    MERRILL   COMPANY 

ST.  PAUL,  MINN. 


All   Rights    Reserve.^ 


NOTE. 


These  reminiscences  were  written  from  memory  in  such  leisure  moments  as  the 
author  could  spare  from  a  busy  life,  and  published  in  the  Swedish  language  nearly  a 
year  ago.  They  were  intended  solely  for  Swedish  readers  in  the  mother  country  and 
America,  but  since  their  publication  in  that  language  it  has  been  urged  by  many  that 
they  ought  to  be  made  accessible  to  English  readers  also.  And  this,  principally,  in 
order  that  the  children  of  the  old  Swedish  emigrants,  who  are  more  familiar  with  the 
English  than  the  Swedish  language,  may  have  an  opportunity  to  learn  something  of  the 
early  struggles  of  their  fathers  in  this  country. 

At  the  same  time  it  was  thought  that  the  American  reader  in  general  might  take 
pleasure  in  following  the  fortunes  of  one  of  the  many  emigrants  who  owes  whatever 
he  has  accomplished  in  life  to  the  opportunities  offered  by  the  free  institutions  of  this 
country,  and  that  it  would  especially  interest  him  to  read  the  account  of  oriental  life, 
religion  and  characteristics  as  seen  by  the  author  during  his  residence  in  the  wonder 
ful  land  of  the  Hindoos. 

As  to  literary  finish  no  claim  is  made.  In  a  few  instances  of  a  descriptive  nature 
recourse  has  been  had  to  the  accounts  of  other  observers.  In  all  other  respects  the 
story  is  a  plain  recital  of  the  personal  experiences  of  the  author,  told  without  preten 
sions,  as  an  humble  contribution  by  an  emigrant  to  the  history  of  the  emigrants,  and 
of  the  settlement  of  the  Great  West. 

THE  AUTHOR. 
MINNEAPOLIS,  MINN.,  October,  1891. 


M760142 


CHAPTER    I. 


Ancestry  and  country  home  in  Sweden — Home  influences — My  first  school 
years — Christmas  —  Military  life — Departure  for  America. 


My  childhood  passed  so  quietly  and  smoothly  that  it 
would  be  superfluous  to  mention  it  at  all,  except  for  the  fact 
that  such  omission  would  leave  a  gap  in  these  reminiscences. 
For  this  reason,  and,  also,  in  order  that  the  American  reader 
may  get  some  idea  of  a  good  country  home  in  Sweden,  I 
shall  relate  very  briefly  some  incidents  from  that  time. 

My  parents  belonged  to  one  of  those  old  families  «f  pro 
prietary  farmers,  whose  spirit  of  independence  and  never 
failing  love  of  liberty,  have,  from  time  immemmorial,  placed 
Sweden,  as  a  land  of  constitutional  liberty,  in  the  front  rank 
among  all  the  countries  of  the  Old  World. 

Like  the  descendants  of  the  old  Scotch  clans  the  ancestors 
of  my  father  were  noted  for  certain  physical  and  mental 
qualities,  which  made  them  prominent  among  the  inhabi 
tants  of  the  district  of  Yilland,  Skane,  where  most  of  them 
had  their  home.  They  were  independent  freeholders  and 
were  generally  reckoned  among  the  leading  men  of  their  dis 
trict.  They  were  large  and  strong  with  broad  shoulders, 
high  and  broad  foreheads  and  other  family  characteristics. 
The  Christian  names  of  the  male  members  were  generally 
Bonde,  Trued,  Lars,  Matts,  and  Hans,  and  the  family  can  be 
traced  back  in  the  parish  records  for  more  than  two  hundred 
years. 


2  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

My  mother  was  born  on  the  island  of  Ifo,  my  father's  fam 
ily  also  came  from  that  island  and  were  the  owners  of  the 
estate  described  by  Du  Chaillu  in  his  "Land  of  the  Midnight 
Sun"  with  the  remarkable  crypt  built  by  Bishop  Andreas 
Suneson*  and  the  estate  still  belongs  to  a  second  cousin  of 
mine.  My  father  inherited  a  small  sum  of  money  for  whicht 
at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  he  bought  a  land  in  the  parish 
of  Onnestad  near  the  city  of  Kristianstad.  On  this  property 
he  built  a  small  house,  barn,  etc.,  and  on  the  south  side  of  the 
former  a  small  flower  garden  was  laid  out  at  either  end  ot 
which  my  father  planted  a  spruce  tree,  one  of  which  grew  up 
into  a  fine,  big  tree,  the  only  one  of  its  kind  in  the  whole  neigh 
borhood,  and  to  which  I  shall  refer  farther  on.  In  this  unpre 
tending  little  cabin  I  was  born  Dec.  23d,  1832,  and  under  its 
lowly  but  peaceful  roof  I  spent  the  first  years  of  my  child 
hood,  together  with  an  elder  sister  and  a  younger  brother. 

I  can  yet  distinctly  remember  many  incidents  from  my 
childhood  as  far  back  as  my  third  and  fourth  year;  all  these 
memories  are  dear  and  exceedingly  pleasant  to  me.  There 
was  no  discord,  no  cause  for  sorrow  and  tears  in  my  home 
during  the  time  of  my  childhood.  Everything  bore  the 
stamp  of  peace  and  calm,  emanating  from  that  spirit  of  gen 
uine  old  Swedish  honesty  and  sincere  piety,  which  animated 
my  parents.  One  of  my  very  first  recollections  is  of  my 
father  reading  aloud  the  beautiful  hymn : 

"  The  morning  light  shall  wake  me 
To  the  strains  of  sacred  song,"  etc., 

At  the  age  of  six  my  schooling  commenced  under  the  guid 
ance  of  an  itinerant  schoolmaster  by  name  of  Bergdahl,  who 
taught  small  children  at  their  homes,  stopping  one  day  foi 
each  child  at  every  house  and  keeping  on  in  that  way  the 
whole  term  which  lasted  from  three  to  four  months.  Old 
Bergdahl  was  a  good  and  sensible  man,  far  superior  to  the 

•Note:   Vol  2,  page  448. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  3 

average  men  of  his  class.  He  seldom  punished  his  pupils  ex 
cept  by  appealing  to  their  better  nature,  and  still  maintained 
the  best  discipline  that  I  have  ever  seen  in  any  school  of  even 
greater  pretensions. 

My  parents  were  doing  well  on  their  little  farm,  which 
they  sold  about  this  time,  buying  a  larger  one  on  the  Onne- 
stad  Hills.  Here  they  erected  larger  and  more  commodious 
buildings. 


OUR   HOME. 

Near  the  house  was  a  park,  a  creek,  and  some  large  rocks, 
all  of  which  afforded  welcome  plav-ground,  and  soon  made 
this  place  dearer  to  me  than  the  old  home.  We  were  fol 
lowed  by  the  school-master  who  also  settled  down  in  our 
neighborhood,  I  continued  reading  another  year  under  his 
guidance,  after  which  I  attended  a  private  school,  and  at  the 
age  of  eight  was  sent  to  the  village  school  that  was  super 
intended  by  a  lady  teacher,  a  normal  school  graduate,  who 
was  considered  one  of  the  best  teachers  in  that  part  of  the 
country.  My  parents,  desiring  a  more  extensive  field  for 
their  activity,  also  rented  a  large  farm,  called  Kellsagard, 
near  the  village  church,  and  we  now  moved  into  a  still  larger 
and  better  house.  Meanwhile  I  continued  mv  attendance  at 


4  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

the  village  school  until  I  had  learned  all  that  was  taught 
there.  During  the  vacations  I  worked  on  my  father's  farm 
at  such  light  work  as  was  suited  to  my  age  and  strength.  I 
had  a  decided  fancy  for  horses,  of  which  my  father  raised  a 
large  number,  and  was  always  happy  for  a  chance  to  ride  or 
drive  in  company  with  the  hired  men,  and  after  my  twelfth 
v/year  1  used  to  break  the  young  colts  to  the  saddle.  At  the 
same  time  I  had  a  great  taste  for  reading  and  never  intended 
to  remain  long  on  the  farm,  but  was  always  meditating  on 
getting  a  higher  education,  which  -would  prepare  me  for  a 
larger  field  of  action  than  a  country  farm  could  offer.  At 
the  age  of  fourteen  I  was  sent  to  another  school,  located 
about  three  miles  from  my  home.  Here  I  was  instructed  in 
the  common  branches,  and  in  a  short  time  passed  through 
the  whole  course  of  studies.  I  also  received  instruction  from 
Rev.  T.  N.  Hasselquist,  who  has  played  such  a  prominent 
part  in  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  America,  and  took 
private  lessons  in  arithmetic  and  writing  of  Mr.  S.  J.  Will- 
ard,  a  bright  young  teacher,  who  afterwards  married  my 
only  sister,  and  finally  became  my  companion  during  our 
pioneer  life  in  Minnesota. 

Our  last  home  offered  many  conveniences;  the  house  was 
well  furnished,  and  so  large  that  the  second  story  could  be 
rented  most  of  the  time,  and  it  was  occupied  alternately  by 
a  clergyman  with  his  family,  and  a  captain  of  the  army. 
These  people,  and  our  numerous  city  friends,  exerted  a  refin 
ing  and  elevating  influence  on  the  farm  surroundings,  and 
our  home  was  widely  noted  for  its  hospitality.  My  father 
was  a  kind-hearted,  noble-minded  man,  and  was  liked  by  all 
'who  knew  him.  My  mother  was  a  woman  of  strong  char 
acter,  and  wielded  a  great  influence  over  her  surroundings. 
She  managed  a  household  of  forty  to  fifty  persons,  and  on 
Sundays  there  was  always  an  extra  table  set  for  friends  and 
visitors.  Her  good-will,  however,  extended  not  only  to  our 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  6 

pleasant  associates,  but  also  to  the  poor,  the  suffering  and 
the  unfortunate.  I  cannot  recall  any  period  of  my  childhood 
when  we  did  not  harbor  some  poor,  forsaken  pauper,  waif, 
orphan  or  cripple  in  my  father's  house. 

Christmas  has  always  been,  and  is  \ret,  the  greatest  of  all 
festivities  or  holidays  among  all  the  Scandinavian  peoples. 
It  is  not  merely  a  holiday  like  it  is  among  Americans,  but  a 
festival  lasting  for  many  days.  While  the  people  in  the  dif 
ferent  localities  of  the  Scandinavian  countries,  at  the  time  of 
my  childhood,  differed  in  many  customs,  they  were  all  alike 
in  making  this  season  one  of  joyous  hospitality,  blended 
with  religious  worship.  I  shall  endeavor  to  describe  Christ 
mas  as  celebrated  in  my  home  in  Southern  Sweden  50  years 
ago,  and  I  venture  to  say  that  while  matters  of  detail  might 
differ  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  the  descriptions  as  a 
whole  will  apply  to  them  all.  The  preparations  for  Christ 
mas  commenced  in  the  beginning  of  December  by  butchering, 
brewing  and  baking,  so  as  to  lay  in  large  stores  of  the  essen 
tial  elements  for  enjoyment  and  hospitality.  The  fattened 
animals  were  slaughtered,  the  tallow  made  into  candles,  the 
meat  salted,  smoked,  and  otherwise  prepared  for  a  whole 
year.  The  rich  brown  Yule-ale  was  made  in  large  quantities, 
and  poured  in  kegs  and  barrels.  Bread  of  many  varieties 
was  baked  for  days  and  days,  and  stored  away  in  proper 
places,  a  large  share  of  it  being  intended  for  the  poor,  who 
began  their  rounds  of  calls  a  week  before  Christmas,  receiv 
ing  presents  of  brown  and  white  loaves,  large  cuts  of  meats 
and  cheese,  rolls  of  sausage,  etc.  The  school-master,  the 
parish  mid-wife,  the  village  night  watchman,  and  other 
semi-public  characters  of  small  degree  were  carefully  remem 
bered  at  this  time.  The  village  tailor  with  his  journeymen 
and  apprentices  appeared  a  few  weeks  before  Christmas  and 
made  the  wearing  apparel  for  the  family  and  servants  out 
of  home-spun  fabrics  for  the  whole  year.  The  village  shoe- 


6  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

maker  with  his  crowd  of  workmen  followed  close  upon  the 
former,  and  made  up  the  boots  and  shoes  out  of  leather 
which  had  been  prepared  to  order,  finishing  up  by  repairing 
the  stable  harnesses,  sometimes  making  new  ones.  It  was  a 
busv  season;  the  house-wife  was  kept  astir  early  and  late 
to  give  directions,  and  superintending  all  these  things. 

Finally  the  day  of  Christmas  Eve  came,  on  which  every 
thing  must  be  in  readiness,  pans  and  kettles  be  scoured, 
floors  scrubbed  and  strewn  w-ith  white  sand  and  fresh  juni 
per  twigs,  even  the  stables  for  the  cattle  receiving  an  extra 
scrubbing.  The  yard  was  swept  and  every  nook  and  corner 
of  the  premises  put  in  holiday  attire,  and  last  of  all,  the 
hired  men  and  girls  were  expected  to  retire  to  their  respect 
ive  quarters  for  a  similar  cleaning,  and  make  their  appear 
ance  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  in  clean  linen  and  new 
clothes,  ready  for  the  great  event,  as  for  a  marriage  feast. 
In  the  mean  time  pots  and  kettles  were  boiling  011  the  hearth 
in  the  great  kitchen,  baskets  were  being  filled  and  sent  off  to 
the  poor  who  were  too  feeble  to  call  for  their  gifts;  the  fam 
ily  and  servants  contenting  themselves  that  day  with  a 
lunch,  well  known  all  over  Sweden  as  dopparebrod.  It  being 
now  dark,  the  long  table  was  set  in  the  large  common  room. 
The  whitest  linen,  the  finest  plate,  plenty  of  fresh  white 
bread,  and  two  or  three  home-made  cheeses,  baskets  of  cake, 
and  large  decanters  containing  sweet  ale,  ornamented  the 
table.  In  front  of  the  seats  of  husband  and  wife  was  placed 
a  large  home-made  tallow  candle  with  as  many  branches  as 
there  were  members  of  the  family.  Other  candles  were 
placed  in  candle-sticks  or  chandeliers,  so  that  there  was  an 
abundance  of  light,  in  commemoration  of  the  Great  Light 
which  came  into  the  world  on  that  eve.  There  was  also  a 
Christmas  tree  decorated  with  ribbons,  flowers,  confection 
ery  and  burning  tapers.  The  lighting  of  the  candles  was 
the  signal  for  all  to  come  to  the  feast.  That  evening  at  least 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  7 

there  was  no  distinction  as  to  persons.  The  lowest  servant- 
boy  had  his  seat,  and  received  the  same  attention  as  the 
children  or  members  of  the  family.  When  all  were  seated  a 
Christmas  prayer  was  offered  by  the  head  of  the  family, 
after  which  a  hymn  was  sung,  in  which  all  joined;  then  were 
brought  in  from  the  kitchen  great  dishes  of  "Lut  Fisk," 
served  with  drawn  butter  and  mustard  sauce;  after  that  a 
roast  of  beef  or  pork,  and  at  last  the  Yule-mush.  About  the 
time  that  this  was  finished,  some  one  who  had  quietly 
stepped  outside  returned  in  the  disguise  of  Santa  Claus,  and 
threw  baskets  full  of  Christmas  presents  on  the  floor.  The 
children  and  younger  servants  made  a  scramble  for  these, 
amid  shouts  of  hilarious  joy  and  distributed  them  according 
to  the  directions  written  on  each  bundle.  No  one  was  for 
gotten.  Then  at  the  table  followed  cakes  with  sweet  wine 
or  punch,  and  nuts  and  apples,  all  of  which  was  enjoyed 
hugely  and  deliberately,  so  that  it  was  often  ten  o'clock 
before  the  tables  were  cleared.  The  remainder  of  the  even 
ing  was  spent  in  quiet  amusments,  such  as  telling  stories 
about  princes  and  princesses,  giants  and  trolls,  conundrums, 
tricks  with  cards,  etc.,  and  seldom  did  the  happy  circle  break 
up  until  nearly  mid-night. 

Christmas  day  was  considered  a  very  holy  day.  There 
were  no  visits  made,  no  work  done  except  of  the  greatest 
necessity,  such  as  feeding  the  animals  and  keeping  up  the 
fires;  no  cooking  was  done  on  that  day,  but  meals  were 
served  mostly  cold  from  the  delicious  head  cheese,  pork  roast 
and  other  delicacies,  which  had  been  prepared  beforehand. 
The  greatest  event  of  all  the  season,  and  in  fact  of  the  whole 
year,  was  the  early  service  (ottesang)  in  the  parish  church, 
at  five  o'clock  on  Christmas  morning.  Hundreds  of  candles 
were  lighted  in  chandeliers  and  candlesticks.  The  altar  was 
covered  with  gold  embroidered  cloth ;  the  floor  was  strewn 
with  fresh  twigs  of  juniper,  and  soon  the  people  began  to 


8  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

assemble.  They  came  from  every  house  and  hamlet,  in 
sleighs  with  tinkling  bells,  on  horseback,  and  on  foot  along 
every  road  and  winding  pathway,  usually  in  groups,  swelling 
as  the  parties  and  the  roads  intersected,  many  carrying  lan 
terns  or  burning  pine-knots  to  light  the  way.  Everywhere 
the  greeting,  "Happy  Christmas"  was  heard,  but  all  with 
joyful  solemnity.  Outside  the  church  the  burning  torches 
were  thrown  in  a  pile  which  formed  a  blaze  that  could  be 
seen  a  long  distance  off.  The  church  was  soon  crowded; 
then  the  solemn  tones  of  the  organ  burst  forth ;  the  organist 
led  in  the  beautiful  hymn,  "Var  halsad  skona  morgon 
stund"  (Be  greeted  joyful  morning  hour),  in  which  every 
member  of  the  congregation  joined,  until  the  temple  was 
filled  with  their  united  voices  so  that  the  walls  almost  shook. 
And  when  the  minister  ascended  the  pulpit,  clad  in  his  sur 
plice  and  black  cape,  he  had  before  him  a  most  devout  con 
gregation.  Of  course  the  sermon  was  about  the  Messiah, 
who  was  born  in  the  stable,  and  placed  in  the  manger  at 
Bethlehem.  The  next  service  was  at  ten  o'clock,  and  the  rest 
of  the  day  was  spent  quietly  at  home  by  everybody. 

On  the  next  day,  called  Second  Day  Christmas,  the  previous 
solemnity  was  discarded,  and  the  time  for  visiting  and  social 
enjoyments  commenced. 

The  one  permanent  virtue  most  conspicuous  during  the 
whole  Christmas  season,  which  in  those  days  extended  way 
into  the  month  of  January,  was  hospitality,  and  next  tothatf 
or  linked  with  it,  charity.  It  seemed  that  the  heart  of  every 
one  expanded  until  it  took  in  every  fellow  creature  high  and 
low,  and  even  the  brute  animals.  Many  and  many  were  the 
loaves  of  bread,  grain  and  meal  thrown  out  purposely  for 
the  birds  or  stray  dogs  that  might  be  hungry,  and  many  of 
the  farmers  followed  the  beautiful  Norwegian  custom  of  plac 
ing  sheaves  of  oats  and  barley  on  the  roof  of  their  barns  ihat 
the  poor  birds  might  also  enjoy  Christmas. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  9 

But  there  were  also  other  ennobling  influences  which  sur 
rounded  and  emanated  from  our  home,  and  I  recollect  most 
vividly  those  connected  with  nature.  The  house  was  sur 
rounded  by  a  large  beautiful  garden,  with  choice  flowers  and 
fruit,  fine  grass  plats  and  luxurient  trees,  the  branches  of 
which  were  alive  with  singing  birds,  the  most  noted  among 
these  being  the  nightingale,  which  every  summer  filled  the 
garden  with  sweet  melody. 

Of  the  incidents  of  my  childhood  I  will  mention  a  few, 
which  have  left  the  most  vivid  impression  on  my  mind: 

Once  my  parents  took  me  along  to  see  the  king,  who  was 
to  pass  by  on  the  highway  a  short  distance  from  our  home. 
The  people  from  the  country  around  had  congregated  by 
thousands  to  see  his  majesty.  Most  of  them,  however,  did 
not  get  a  chance  to  see  anything  but  a  large  number  of  car 
riages  each  of  which  was  drawn  by  four  or  six  horses,  and 
postillions  and  servants  in  splendid  liveries.  In  the  midst 
of  this  confusion  I,  however,  succeeded  in  catching  a  glimpse 
of  King  Oscar  I,  as  he  passed  by.  In  my  childish  mind  I  had 
fancied  that  the  king  and  his  family  and  all  others,  in  author 
ity  were  the  peculiar  and  elect  people  of  the  Almighty,  but 
after  this  event  which  produced  a  very  decided  impression  on 
me,  I  began  to  entertain  serious  doubts  as  to  the  correctness 
of  my  views  on  this  matter. 

At  another  time  I  went  with  my  mother  to  the  city  of 
Kristianstad  to  hear  the  Rev.  Doctor  P.  Fjellstedt,  who  had 
just  returned  from  a  missionary  tour  in  India.  I  can  never 
forget  how  eloquently  he  described  the  Hindoos,  and  the 
Brahmin  idolatry,  all  of  which  aroused  in  me  an  eager  long 
ing  to  visit  the  wonderful  country  and  learn  to  know  its 
peculiar  people.  But  little  did  I  then  dream  that  I  was  to 
go  there  thirty-six  years  later  as  the  representative  of  the 
greatest  country  of  the  world. 

At  one  time  I  went  in  company  with  my  mother  to  the 


10  STORY  OP  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Danish  capital,  Copenhagen,  we  being  among  the  first 
Swedish  families  that  traveled  by  rail,  for  we  took  the  rail 
road  from  Copenhagen  to  Roskilde,  the  same  being  finished 
several  years  before  any  railroads  were  built  in  Sweden. 

In  the  summer  of  1847,  shortly  after  my  confirmation,  I 
was  properly  supplied  with  wardrobe  and  other  necessaries, 
and  saying  good-bye  to  the  happy  and  peaceful  home  of  my 
childhood,  I  left  for  the  city  of  Kristianstad  to  enter  the  Latin 
school.  In  kissing  me  good-bye  my  mother  urged  on  me 
the  precious  words,  which  she  had  inherited  from  her  mother: 
"Do  right  and  fear  nothing." 

When  I  entered  this  school  I  was  fourteen  years  and  a-half 
old,  tall  of  stature  and  well  developed  for  my  age,  and,  like 
other  country  children,  somewhat  awkward  in  dress  and 
behavior. 

My  schoolmates  welcomed  me  by  giving  me  a  nick-name, 
and  trying  to  pick  a  quarrel  with  me,  which  they  also  suc 
ceeded  in  doing,  and  before  the  end  of  the  first  day  a  drawn 
battle  had  been  fought,  after  which  they  never  troubled  me 
again.  The  principal  study  in  this  school  was  Latin,  early 
and  late,  to  which  was  soon  added  German,  and  at  the  close 
of  the  second  year,  Greek,  French,  history,  geography,  and 
other  common  branches.  I  made  rapid  progress,  was 
awarded  a  prize  at  my  first  examination,  and  finished  the 
work  of  two  classes  in  two  years,  only  about  half  the  usual 
time. 

During  those  two  years,  and  even  before  that  time,  I  had 
a  peculiar  presentiment  that  I  would  have  to  make  great 
mental  and  physical  exertions  in  the  future,  and  that  it  was 
necessary  for  me  to  prepare  for  whatever  might  happen. 
Therefore,  I  often  chose  the  hard  floor  for  my  bed  and  a  book 
for  a  pillow.  At  times  I  would  take  long  walks  without 
eating  and  drinking,  and  let  my  room-mates  strike  my  chest 
with  their  fists  until  it  was  swollen  and  inflamed.  I  even 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  11 

tried  how  long  I  could  go  without  food,  and  still  not  lose 
my  mental  and  physical  vigor. 

When  I  was  sixteen  years  old,  an  event  took  place  which 
had  a  decisive  influence  on  my  whole  life. 

A  captain  of  the  army  boarded  at  my  father's  home,  and 
was  regarded  as  a  member  of  the  family.  Among  his 
acquaintances  was  a  young  man  of  my  own  age,  who  also 
had  the  same  Christian  name  as  I.  One  day  this  young  man 
came  to  see  the  captain,  and  as  he  approached  the  house  my 
mother  and  sister  observing  him,  both  exclaimed  at  the 
same  time,  "There  is  Hans!"  He  heard  this,  and  was 
greatly  surprised  that  they  knew  him,  while  the  fact  was 
that  they  mistook  him  for  me.  At  that  time  I  was  in  the 
city,  but  the  next  day  this  second  Hans  visited  me,  and  told 
me  of  the  incident.  If  there  is  such  a  thing  as  affinity 
between  men,  it  certainly  existed  between  him  and  me;  we 
felt  ourselves  irresistibly  drawn  towards  each  other,  and 
from  that  day  we  have  been  more  than  brothers,  and  noth 
ing  but  death  can  separate  us.  We  are  of  the  same  size, 
complexion  and  age.  He  had  already  served  a  short  time  as 
cadet  in  the  artillery,  but  had  been  compelled  to  resign  on 
account  of  poor  health.  Now  he  had  recovered  and  entered 
service  again  as  a  volunteer  in  the  infantry.  The  events  of 
my  life  are  so  closely  interwoven  with  this  man  and  his  life, 
that  the  reader  will  often  hear  of  him  in  these  pages.  Right 
here  I  wish  to  state,  that  a  more  faithful  friend  and  a  more 
noble  character  cannot  be  found ;  he  has  always  been  a  help 
and  a  comfort  to  me  in  the  many  and  strange  vicissitudes 
which  we  have  shared  together.  His  name  is  Hans  Eus- 
trom,  better  known  in  Minnesota  as  Captain  Eustrom. 
.  The  first  Danish-German  war  broke  out  about  this  time, 
and  I,  with  many  other  youths,  felt  a  hearty  sympathy  for  the 
Danes.  The  Swedish  government  resolved  to  send  troops  to 
help  their  neighbors,  and  a  few  regiments  marching  through 


12  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

ourcity  fanned  our  youthful  enthusiasm  into  flame.  Finally, 
a  detachment  of  the  artillery,  quartered  in  the  city,  was  or 
dered  to  leave  for  the  seat  of  war,  and  now  I  could  no  longer 
restrain  myself,  but  besieged  my  parents  to  let  me  join  that 
part  of  the  army  which  was  going  to  the  battlefield,  and 
to  clinch  the  argument  I  was  cruel  enough  to  send  word  to 
my  distressed  mother  that  if  she  would  not  consent  I  would 
run  away  from  home  and  join  the  army  anyway.  This  last 
argument  made  her  yield,  and  in  the  fall  of  1849 1  became  an 
artillery  cadet,  being  then  in  my  seventeenth  year.  But  al 
though  I  won  this  victory  over  my  mother,  whose  greatest 
desire  was  that  I  should  become  a  clergyman,  she  in  turn 
gained  a  victory  over  me  by  persuading  the  suigeon  of  the 
batallion,  who  was  also  our  family  physician,  to  declare  me 
sick  and  send  me  to  the  hospital,  although  I  had  only  a  slight 
cold;  thus  my  plan  to  go  with  the  army  to  Schleswig-Hol- 
stein  was  frustrated.  This  did  not  make  much  difference, 
however,  as  the  war  was  virtually  closed  before  our  troops 
arrived  at  the  place  of  destination,  and  my  time  could  now 
be  more  profitably  employed  in  learning  the  duties  of  a  sol 
dier,  and  in  taking  a  course  of  mathematics  and  other  prac 
tical  branches  at  the  regimental  school. 

1  remained  in  the  army  a  year  and  a-half,  during  which 
time  I  received  excellent  instruction  in  gymnastics,  fencing 
and  riding,  besides  the  regular  military  drill.  Two  winters 
-were  thus  devoted  to  conscientious  and  thorough  work  at 
the  military  school. 

Knowing  that  the  chances  for  advancement  in  the  Swedish 
army  during  times  of  peace  were  at  this  time  very  slim  for 
young  men  not  favored  with  titles  of  nobility ,  and  being  also 
tired  of  the  monotonous  garrison  life,  my  friend  Eustrom 
and  myself  soon  resolved  to  leave  the  service  and  try  our 
luck  in  a  country  where  inherited  names  and  titles  were  not 
the  necessary  conditions  of  success. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT  13 

At  that  time  America  was  little  known  in  our  part  of  the 
country,  only  a  few  persons  having  emigrated  from  the  whole 
district.  But  we  knew  that  it  was  a  new  country,  inhabited 
by  a  free  and  independent  people,  that  it  had  a  liberal  gov 
ernment  and  great  natural  resources,  and  these  inducements 
were  sufficient  for  us.  My  parents  readily  consented  to  my 
emigration,  and,  having  made  the  necessarv  preparations, 
my  father  took  my  friend  Eustrom  and  myself  down  to  the 
coast  with  his  own  horses,  in  the  first  part  of  May,  1851. 
It  was  a  memorable  evening,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the 
last  farewell  to  my  home,  in  driving  out  from  the  court  into 
the  village  street,  how  I  stood  up  in  the  wagon,  turned  to 
wards  the  dear  home  and  waved  my  hat  with  a  hopeful 
hurrah  to  the  "folks  I  left  behind."  A  couple  of  days'  jour 
ney  brought  us  to  a  little  seaport,  where  we  took  leave  of 
my  father  and  boarded  a  small  schooner  for  the  city  of 
Gothenburg. 

At  that  time  there  were  no  ocean  steamers  and  no  emigrant 
agents;  but  we  soon  found  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  America 
on  which  we  embarked  as  passengers,  furnishing  our  own 
bedding,  provisions  and  other  necessaries,  which  ourmothers 
had  supplied  in  great  abundance.  About  one  hundred  and 
fifty  emigrants  from  different  parts  of  Sweden  were  on  board 
the  brig  Ambrosius.  In  the  middle  of  May  she  weighed 
anchor  and  glided  out  of  the  harbor  on  her  long  voyage 
across  the  ocean  to  distant  Boston. 

We  gazed  back  at  the  vanishing  shores  of  the  dear  father 
land  with  feelings  of  affection,  but  did  not  regret  the  step 
we  had  taken,  and  our  bosoms  heaved  with  boundless  hope. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen,  the  strong,  healthy  youth  takes  a 
bright  and  hopeful  view  of  life,  and  so  did  we.  Many  and 
bcautiriil  were  the  air-castles  we  built  as  we  stood  on  deck, 
with  our  eyes  turned  towards  the  promised  land  of  the 
Nineteenth  century.  To  some  of  these  castles  our  lives  have 
given  reality,  others  are  still  floating  before  us. 


CHAPTER    IT. 


Arrival  at  Boston  — Adventures  between  Boston  and  New  York— Buffalo 
— An  Asylum  —  Return  to  New  York — A  Voyage — On  the  Farm  i 
Hampshire. 


The  good  brig  Ambrosius  landed  us  in  Boston  on  June  29, 
1851,  but  during  the  voyage  about  one-half  of  the  passen 
gers  were  attacked  by  small-pox  and  had  to  be  quarantined 
outside  the  harbor.  My  good  friend  and  I  were  fortunate 
enough  to  escape  this  plague;  but  instead  of  this  I  was  taken 
sick  with  the  ague  on  our  arrival  at  Boston. 

Now,  then,  we  were  in  America!  The  new,  unknown 
country  lay  before  us,  and  it  seemed  the  more  strange  as  we 
did  not  understand  a  word  of  the  English  language.  For  at 
that  time  the  schools  of  Sweden  paid  no  attention  to  English, 
so  that  although  I  had  studied  four  languages,  English,  the 
most  important  of  all  tongues,  was  entirely  unknown  to  me. 

The  first  few  weeks  of  our  stay  in  Boston  passed  quietly 
and  quickly,  but  the  ague  grew  worse  and  my  purse  was  get 
ting  empty.  My  friend,  however,  had  more  money  than  1^ 
and  as  long  as  he  had  a  d oiler  left  he  divided  it  equally  be 
tween  us.  I  cannot  resist  the  temptation  to  relate  a  serio- 
comical  escapade  of  this  period,  one  that  to  many  will  recall 
similar  occurences  in  their  own  experience  as  immigrants 
ignorant  of  the  language  of  the  country. 

In  Gothenburg  we  had  become  acquainted  with  a  bright 
young  man  from  Vexio,  Janne  Tenggren  by  name,  who  had 
also  served  in  the  army.  When  we  met  him  he  had  already 

14 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  15 

bought  a  ticket  on  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  New  York,  so 
that  we  could  not  make  the  voyage  together.  But  we 
agreed  to  hunt  each  other  up  after  our  arrival  in  America. 
We  left  Sweden  about  the  same  time  with  the  understanding 
that  if  we  arrived  first  WTC  should  meet  him  in  New  York,  and 
if  he  arrived  first  he  should  go  to  Boston  to  meet  us  there. 

About  a  week  after  our  arrival  in  Boston,  we  heard  that 
.the  vessel  on  which  he  had  embarked  had  arrived,  and  I 
immediately  left  for  New  York  to  fulfill  our  promise.  But, 
unfortunately,  I  found  he  had  already  gone  west,  so  I  bought 
a  return  ticket  to  Boston  the  same  day.  The  journey  was 
by  steamboat  to  Fall  River,  thence  by  rail  to  Boston.  We 
left  New  York  in  the  evening.  I  remained  on  the  deck,  and 
wrent  to  sleep  about  ten  o'clock  on  some  wooden  boxes. 
About  eleven  o'clock  I  awoke,  saw  the  steamer  laying  too. 
and,  supposing  we  were  at  Fall  River,  hurried  off  and  fol 
lowed  the  largest  crowd,  expecting  thus  to  get  to  the  railroad 
depot.  Striking  no  depot,  however,  I  returned  to  the  har 
bor,  only  to  find  the  steamer  gone,  and  every  body  but  myself 
had  vanished  from  the  pier. 

There  I  stood,  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  without  money, 
ignorant  of  the  language,  and  not  even  knowing  where  I 
was!  Tired  and  discouraged  I  finally  threw  myself  down 
on  a  wooden  box  on  the  sidewalk,  and  went  to  sleep.  About 
five  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  big  policeman  aroused  me  by 
poking  at  me  with  his  club.  This  respectable  incarnation 
of  social  order  evidently  took  me  for  a  tramp  or  a  madman, 
and  as  he  could  not  obtain  any  intelligible  information  from 
me  in  any  language  known  to  him,  he  took  me  to  a  small 
shoe  store  kept  by  a  German. 

Fortunately,  my  acquaintance  with  the  German  language 
was  sufficient  to  enable  me  to  explain  myself,  and  I  soon 
found  that  I  had  left  the  steamer  several  hours  too  early ; 
that  the  name  of  this  place  was  New  London,  that  another 


16  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

steamer  would  come  past  at  the  same  time  the  next  night, 
so  that  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  wait  for  that  steamer  and  go 
to  Boston  on  the  same  ticket. 

I  spent  the  day  in  seeing  the  city  and  chatting  with  my 
friend,  the  shoe  maker,  and  in  the  evening  returned  to  the 
wharf  to  watch  for  the  Boston  steamer. 

This  being  my  ague  day,  I  had  violent  attacks  of  ague  and 
fever,  so  that  I  was  again  forced  to  lie  down  to  rest  on  the 
same  wooden  box.  and  again  went  to  sleep.  After  a  while  I 
wa«  aroused  by  the  noise  of  the  approaching  steamer;  rushed 
on  board  in  company  with  some  other  passengers,  and  con 
sidered  myself  very  fortunate  when  reflecting  that  I  would 
surely  be  in  Boston  the  next  morning.  I  had  made  myself 
familiar  with  the  surroundings  during  the  day,  and  when 
the  steamer  started,  I  noticed  that  it  directed  its  course 
towards  New  York,  instead  of  Boston.  I  had  no  money  to 
pay  my  fare  to  New  York,  could  neither  borrow  nor  beg,  and 
so  I  crawled  down  in  a  little  hole  in  the  fore  part  of  the 
steamer,  where  the  tackles  apd  ropes  were  kept,  thus,  for 
tunately,  escaping  the  notice  of  the  ticket  collector. 

The  next  evening  I  again  embarked  for  Boston  and  finally 
arrived  safely  at  my  destination. 

We  stayed  in  Boston  several  weeks,  and  during  that  time 
my  ague  caused  a  heavy  drain  on  our  small  treasury.  We 
had  no  definite  plan,  did  not  know  what  to  do,  and  as  we 
had  never  been  used  to  any  kind  of  hard  work,  matters  be 
gan  to  assume  a  serious  aspect,  especially  in  regard  to  my 
self.  But  then,  as  now,  the  hope  of  many  a  young  man  was 
the  Great  West  which,  at  that  time,  was  comparatively  little 
known  even  in  Boston.  Toward  the  close  of  the  month  of 
July  we,  therefore,  went  to  Buffalo,  which  was  as  far  as  our 
money  would  carry  us.  Here  we  put  up  at  a  cheap  boarding 
house  kept  by  a  Norwegian  by  name  of  Larson,  with  whom 
we  stopped  while  trying  to  get  work.  But  having  learned 


STOKY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  17 

no  trade  and  being  unused  to  manual  labor,  we  soon  found 
that  it  was  impossible  to  get  a  job  in  the  city ;  so  we  left  our 
baggage  at  the  boarding  house  and  started  on  foot  for  a 
country  place  named  Hamburg,  some  ten  miles  distant- 
where  we  learned  that  two  of  our  late  companions  across 
the  ocean  had  found  employment.  On  theroad  to  Hamburg, 
about  dusk,  we  reached  a  small  house  by  the  wayside,  where 
we  asked  for  food  and  shelter.  I  was  so  exhausted  that  my 
friend  had  to  support  me  in  order  to  reach  the  house.  We 
found  it  occupied  by  a  Swedish  family,  which  had  just  sat 
down  to  a  bountiful  supper.  Telling  them  our  condition,  we 
were  roughly  told  to  clear  out ;  in  Sweden,  they  said,  they 
had  had  enough  of  gentlemen  and  would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  them  here. 

We  retraced  our  steps  with  sad  hearts  until  a  short  dis 
tance  beyond  the  house  we  found  an  isolated  barn  partly 
filled  with  hay.  There  was  no  one  to  object,  so  we  took 
possession  and  made  it  our  temporary  home.  I  am  glad  to 
say  that  during  a  long  life  among  all  classes  of  people,  from 
the  rudest  barbarians  to  the  rulers  of  nations,  that  family  of 
my  own  countrymen  were  the  only  people  who  made  me 
nearly  lose  faith  in  the  nobler  attributes  of  man.  I  have  an 
excuse,however,for  this  conduct  in  the  fact  that  in  the  mother- 
country,  which  they  had  left  a  year  before,  they  had  probably 
been  abused  and  exasperated  on  account  of  the  foolish  class 
distinction  then  existing  there.  They  evidently  belonged  to 
that  class  of  tenants  who  were  treated  almost  like  slaves. 
The  following  day  we  found  our  late  companions  a  mile 
from  our  barn,  both  working  for  a  farmer  at  $15.00  per 
month,  which  was  then  considered  big  wages.  They  were 
older  men  and  accustomed  to  hard  labor,  so  that  their  situ 
ation  was  comparatively  easy.  They  received  us  kindly  and 
procured  work  for  Eustrom  with  the  same  farmer,  while  I, 
still  suffering  with  the  ague,  could  not  then  attempt  to  work. 


18  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

and  therefore  returned  to  my  castle  in  the  meadow,  (the  hay- 
barn).  There  I  remained  about  a  week  living  on  berries 
which  I  found  in  the  neighboring  woods  and  a  slice  of  bread 
and  butter,  which  Eustrom  brought  me  in  the  evening,  when, 
with  blistered  hands  and  sore  back,  he  called  to  comfort  me 
and  help  build  better  air  castles  for  the  future. 

A  council  was  finally  held  among  us  four,  and  it  was  de 
cided  to  send  me  back  to  Buffalo  with  a  farmer  who  was 
going  there  the  following  morning.  One  of  the  men  Mr. 
Abraham  Sandberg  on  parting  gave  me  a  silver  dollar,  with 
the  injunction  to  give  it  to  someone  who  might  need  it  worse 
than  I,  whenever  I  could  do  so.  I  have  never  met  Abraham 
since ;  but  I  have  regarded  it  as  a  sacred  duty  to  comply 
with  his  request,  and,  in  case  these  lines  should  come  before 
his  eyes  I  wish  to  let  him  know  that  my  debt  has  been  hon 
estly  paid. 

On  reaching  the  old  boarding  house  in  Buffalo  the  landlord 
promised  that  he  would  send  me  to  a  hospital  where  I  could 
receive  proper  treatment  and  care.  I  made  up  a  little  bundle 
of  necessary  underwear,  and  in  an  hour  a  driver  appeared 
at  the  door;  I  was  lilted  into  the  cart  and  off  we  went 
through  the  muddy  streets  to  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  where 
I  was  duly  delivered  at  a  large  building  which  I  supposed  to 
be  the  hospital.  It  was  near  evening,  and  I  was  brought 
into  a  large  dining-room,  with  a  hundred  others  or  more, 
served  with  supper,  corn  mush  and  molasses  water,  after 
which  I  was  shown  to  a  bed  in  a  large  room  among  many 
others.  I  suffered  with  fever,  and  for  the  first  time  in  my  life 
with  loneliness.  Exhausted  nature  finally  took  out  its  due, 
and  I  slept  soundly  until  awakened  in  the  morning  by  a  loud 
sound  of  a  gong.  As  soon  as  dressed  I  walked  out  in  the 
yard,  or  lawn,  back  of  the  building.  On  one  side  was  a  high 
plank  fence,  behind  which  I  heard  some  strange  sounds.  I 
found  a  knot-hole,  and,  peeping  through  this,  I  observed 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  19 

another  lawn,  on  which  were  many  people.  They  were 
strange  looking;  I  never  saw  any  like  them  before.  Some 
were  swinging,  some  dancing,  others  shouting,  singing  and 
weeping  and  behaving  in  a  most  out-of-the-way  manner.  I 
wondered  and  wondered,  and  finally  it  dawned  upon  me 
that  it  must  be  a  lunatic  asylum.  It  was,  in  fact,  as  I  since 
learned,  the  county  poor  farm,  where  one  part  was  used  for 
the  lunatics  and  the  other  for  paupers  like  myself.  Has  it 
come  to  this  ?  I  asked  myself;  is  this  the  goal  of  all  my 
ambition  and  hopes  ?  Going  back  to  the  room,  where  I  had 
slept,  I  stealthily  took  my  little  bundle,  slipped  out  through 
a  side  door  into  a  back  yard,  found  a  gate  open  and  was 
soon  in  the  street.  I  started  on  a  run  with  all  the  power  in 
me,  as  if  pursued  by  all  the  furies  of  paupers  and  lunatics, 
never  stopping  until  I  was  near  the  old  boarding  house, 
where  I  was  taken  in  exhausted  and  in  deep  despair.  I 
would  have  killed  the  landlord  for  deceiving  me  if  I  had  been 
able  to  do  so.  One  good  thing  resulted  from  the  sad  expe 
rience  of  that  day:  the  mental  shock  on  discovering  where 
I  was,  cured  me  for  the  time  being  of  the  ague. 

The  next  day  my  friend  returned  from  Hamburg,  where  he 
could  no  longer  get  any  employment  on  account  of  his  blis 
tered  hands,  and  poor  health  in  general.  We  now  put  our 
wise  heads  together  and  agreed  that  we  had  already  haa 
enough  of  the  West  for  the  time  being.  Having  plenty  of 
good  clothes,  bedding,  revolvers  and  other  knick-knacks,  we 
sold  to  our  landlord  whatever  we  could  spare,  in  order  to 
raise  money  enough  to  pay  our  way  back  to  Boston. 

During  our  stay  in  Buffalo,  our  renowned  countrywoman, 
Jenny  Lind,  happened  to  give  a  concert  there.  We  were 
standing  on  the  street  where  we  could  see  the  people  crowd 
into  the  theatre,  but  that  was  all  we  could  afford,  and  we 
never  heard  her  sing.  Our  host  advised  us  to  go  and  ask 
her  for  help;  but  our  pride  forbade  it. 


20  STOMY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

At  this  time  the  Swedes  were  so  little  known,  and  Jenny 
Lind,  on  the  other  hand,  so  renowned  in  America,  that  the 
Swedes  were  frequently  called  "Jenny  Lind  men,"  this  desig 
nation  being  often  applied  to  myself. 

Having  purchased  tickets  for  Albany,  we  returned  East  in 
the  month  of  August.  I  still  remember  how  we  rode  all 
night  in  a  crowded  second-class  car,  listening  to  the  noisy 
merry-making  of  our  fellow-passengers;  but  we  understood 
very  little  of  it,  for  up  to  this  time  we  had  lived  exclusively 
among  our  own  countrymen,  and  learned  only  a  few  English 
words — a  mistake,  by  the  way,  which  thousands  of  immi 
grants  have  made  and  are  still  making. 

Arriving  at  Albany,  we  sat  down  by  an  old  stone  wall 
near  the  railroad  depot,  to  talk  over  our  "affairs.  Fate  had 
been  against  us  while  we  remained  together,  and  we  prob 
ably  depended  too  much  upon  each  other.  Accordingly,  we 
decided  to  part  for  some  time  and  try  our  luck  separately ; 
and  if  one  of  us  met  with  success  he  would,  of  course,  soon 
be  able  to  find  a  position  for  the  other.  We  decided  by 
drawing  lots  that  Eustrom  should  go  to  Boston  and  I  to 
New  York.  When  we  had  bought  our  tickets  there  remained 
one  dollar,  which  we  divided,  and  we  left  for  our  respective 
places  of  destination  the  same  evening. 

Our  landlord  in  Buffalo  had  given  us  the  address  of  a  sail 
ors'  boarding-house  in  New  York,  which  was  also  kept  by  a 
Norwegian  by  the  same  name  of  Larson.  So  when  I  left  the 
Hudson  River  steamer  early  the  next  morning,  I  paid  my 
half-dollar  to  a  dra3^man,  who  took  me  to  said  boarding 
house.  I  found  Mr.  Larson  to  be  a  kind,  good-natured  man, 
told  him  my  difficulties  right  out,  and  asked  him  to  let  me 
stop  at  his  house  until  1  could  find  something  to  do.  He 
agreed  to  this,  and  for  a  week  or  so  I  tried  my  best  to  get 
work.  But,  when  asked  what  kind  of  work  I  could  do,  I 
was  compelled  to  answer  that  I  had  learned  no  trade,  but 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  21 

that  I  would  gladly  try  to  learn  anything  and  do  anything 
whatever,  even  sweep  the  streets,  if  necessary.  As  a  result 
of  my  protracted  sickness,  I  was  so  weak  and  exhausted 
that  nobody  thought  I  would  be  able  even  to  earn  my  bread.  . 
As  to  easy  or  intellectual  work,  I  had  no  earthly  chance,  as 
long  as  I  did  not  know  the  English  language.  Finally  Mr. 
Larson  took  me  to  a  ship-owner's  office.  I  still  remember 
that  a  Norwegian  captain  was  cruel  enough  to  remark  in 
rny  hearing,  that  he  did  not  intend  to  take  any  half-dead 
corpses  along  with  him  to  sea. 

After  two  weeks  of  fruitless  efforts  to  get  work  for  me, 
my  host  finally  declared  that  he  could  not  very  well  keep  me 
any  longer,  because  his  accommodations  were  crowded  with 
paying  customers ;  nevertheless,  he  allowed  me  to  sleep  in 
the  attic  free  of  charge,  while  I  had  to  procure  my  food  as 
best  I  could,  which  I  also  did  for  another  two  weeks.  Being 
a  convalescent,  I  had  a  ravenous  appetite,  and,  indeed,  I 
found  how  hard  it  is  to  obtain  food  without  having  anything 
to  pay  for  it.  Of  the  few  articles  of  clothing  which  I  brought 
with  me  from  Buffalo,  I  had  to  sacrifice  one  after  another  for 
subsistence.  When  all  other  means  were  exhausted,  I  was 
compelled  to  go  to  the  kitchen-doors  and  tell  my  desperate 
and  unfortunate  condition  by  signs,  and  more  than  one 
kind-hearted  cook  gave  me  a  solid  meal. 

Tramps !  In  our  day  there  is  a  great  deal  of  talk  about 
tramps,  and  it  has  become  customary,  to  brand  as  a  tramp, 
any  poor  wandering  laborer  who  seeks  work.  There  are 
undoubtedly  many  who  justly  deserve  this  title;  but  I  think 
there  are  tramps  who  are  not  to  blame  for  their  deplorable 
condition,  and  who  deserve  encouragement  and  friendly 
assistance,  for  I  have  been  one  of  them  myself,  without  any 
fault  or  neglect  on  my  part.  It  always  provokes  me  to  hear 
a  young  or  inexperienced  person  use  the  expression  "tramp" 
so  thoughtlessly,  and  in  such  a  sweeping  manner.  Long  ago 


22  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

I  made  up  my  mind  that  no  tramp  should  ever  leave  my  door 
without  such  aid  as  my  resources  would  allow.  It  is  better 
to  give  to  a  thousand  undeserving,  than  to  let  one  unfortu 
nate  but  deserving  suffer. 

My  good  host,  like  his  Buffalo  namesake,  finally  contrived 
to  get  rid  of  me  by  representing  me  as  a  sailor,  and  hiring 
me  to  the  captain  of  the  bark  "  Catherine,"  a  coasting  vessel 
bound  for  Charleston,  S.  C.,  telling  me  that  I  was  to  serve 
as  cabin  boy.  My  wages  were  to  be  five  dollars  a  month, 
of  which  he  received  seven  dollars  and  a-half  in  advance,  so 
that  I  could  pay  my  debts  and  buy  a  sailor's  suit  of  clothes. 

On  the  second  day  of  our  voyage  we  encountered  a  storm. 
I  was  on  deck  with  the  sailors  and  the  captain  stood  on  the 
quarter-deck.  We  were  coursing  against  the  wind  and  were 
just  going  to  turn  when  the  captain  called  on  me  to  untie  some 
ropes.  Understanding  very  little  English,  and  being  no  sailor, 
I  naturally  knew  nothing  about  the  names  of  the  different 
ropes,  and  I  grabbed  one  after  another,  but  invariably 
missed  the  right  one.  The  captain  was  swearing  with 
might  and  main  in  English.  Seeing  that  I  did  not  under 
stand  him  he  suddenly  roared  out  angrily  the  name  of  the 
rope  in  good  Swedish  and  added:  "Do  you  understand  me 
now,  you  confounded  blockhead!"  Turning  to  him,  cap  in 
hand,  I  answered:  "No,  captain,  I  do  not  know  the  name 
of  a  single  rope."  "And  still,"  he  continued  "you  have  fol 
lowed  the  sea  three  years,  what  a  dunce  you  are."  I 
answered:  "Indeed  Mr.  Captain,  I  have  never  been  a  sailor, 
and  will  never  be  worth  anything  at  sea.  But  I  am  willing 
and  anxious  to  do  all  you  ask  if  within  my  power."  The 
captain,  whose  name  was  Wilson,  was  a  Swedish  American 
and,  although  somewhat  gruff,  he  was  in  fact  one  of  the 
noblest  men  who  ever  commanded  a  ship.  He  immediately 
saw  how  the  matter  stood ;  the  boarding  hou.se  man  had 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  23 

cheated  both  him  and  me  and  from  that  hour  Captain  Wil 
son  became  my  friend  and  benefactor. 

Afterwards  I  found  out  of  the  whole  crew,  which  numbered 
twenty-six  men,  nine-tenths  were  Scandinavians,  but  they 
always  used  the  English  language  while  on  board  the  ship. 
Captain  Wilson  told  me  to  see  him  in  his  cabin  as  soon  as 
the  work  was  performed.  Here  he  asked  me  about  my 
circumstances,  and  I  told  him  the  short  story  of  my  life, 
which  elicited  his  sympathy  to  such  an  extent  that  he  even 
asked  me  to  pardon  his  rude  behavior  toward  me.  He  as 
signed  me  to  a  place  to  sleep  in  the  cabin ;  told  the  officers 
not  to  give  me  any  orders  as  he  was  going  to  do  that  him 
self,  and  treated  me  with  the  utmost  kindness  and  consider 
ation  in  every  respect. 

After  this  I  was  excused  from  all  work  properly  belonging 
to  a  sailor,  but  kept  the  cabin  in  order,  and  helped  the  stew 
ard  in  waiting  at  the  table,  and  the  officers  with  their  cal 
culations.  During  my  spare  hours  I  read  and  conversed 
with  the  captain  and  his  two  mates,  one  of  whom  was  a 
Dane  and  the  other  an  Irishman,  both  splendid  fellows.  The 
first  mate  was  preparing  the  second  mate  for  a  captain's 
examination,  and  I,  having  recently  taken  a  course  in  mathe 
matics,  at  a  military  school,  was  able  to  assist  them  in  their 
studies. 

On  the  table  in  the  cabin  was  a  large  English  Bible,  with 
which  I  spent  many  happy  hours,  and  by  which  I  learned 
the  English  language.  At  first  I  used  to  pick  out  chapters 
of  the  New  Testament,  which  I  knew  almost  by  heart,  so 
that  I  could  understand  them  without  a  dictionary  or  an 
interpreter.  After  mv  first  conversation  with  the  captain  I 
did  not  speak  another  word  in  the  Swedish  language  during 
the  voyage,  and  when  I  returned  to  Boston,  three  months 
afterwards,  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  could  talk  and  read 
English  about  as  well  as  Swedish. 


24  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

I  made  two  trips  with  the  captain  from  New  York  to 
Charleston  and  back  again.  At  the  wharf  of  Charleston,  I 
was,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  brought  face  to  face  with 
American  Negro  slavery  in  its  most  odious  aspect.  Crowds 
of  Negroes  were  running  along  the  pier  pulling  long  ropes,  by 
means  of  which  the  ships  were  loaded  and  unloaded.  Each 
gang  of  Negroes  was  under  the  charge  of  a  brutal  overseer, 
riding  on  a  mule,  and  brandishing  a  long  cowhide  whip, 
which  he  applied  vigorously  to  the  backs  of  the  half-naked 
Negroes.  During  the  night  they  were  kept  penned  up  in 
sheds,  which  had  been  erected  for  that  purpose  near  the 
'wharf.  They  were  treated  like  cattle,  in  every  respect.  This 
sight  influenced  me  in  later  life  to  become  a  Republican  in 
politics. 

After  our  second  return  to  New  York,  Capt.  Wilson 
assumed  the  command  of  one  of  the  first  clipper  ships 
which  carried  passengers  to  California  in  those  days. 
This  was  at  the  most  stirring  time  of  the  gold  fever,  and 
the  captain  kindly  offered  to  take  me  along  and  let  me  stay 
out  there,  an  offer  which  thousands  would  have  accepted. 
But  I  was  never  smitten  with  the  gold  fever,  and,  having  a 
distaste  for  the  sea,  I  said  good-bye  to  the  kind  captain, 
never  to  see  him  again.  My  wages  were  to  have  been  only 
five  dollars  a  month,  but  he  generously  paid  me  eight 
dollars,  so  that  I  had  earned  enough  money  to  pay  my  way 
to  Boston,  whence  my  friend  Eustrom  had  written  me  and 
urged  me  to  come. 

I  arrived  in  Boston  about  the  middle  of  December,  and, 
when  I  returned  to  the  old  boarding  house,  I  spoke  English 
so  well  that  my  acquaintenances  hardly  believed  it  possible 
that  I  could  be  the  same  person.  Mr.  Eustrom  was  now 
working  as  wood  polisher.  He  had  made  many  friends  and 
lived  happily  and  contented  on  $4  a  week.  By  strict 
economy  these  wages  sufficed  for  board,  lodging,  and  clothes. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  25 

It  happened  to  be  an  unfavorable  time  of  the  year  when  I 
arrived,  however,  and  many  men  who  had  been  employed 
during  the  summer  were  now  discharged  at  the  approach  of 
winter.  Mr.  Eustrom's,  employer  had  a  good  friend  in  New 
Hampshire,  an  old  Swedish  sailor,  Anderson  by  name,  who 
was  farming  np  there.  He  promised  to  let  me  come  and  live 
with  him  and  do  whatever  chores  I  could  until  something 
might  turn  up  the  next  spring. 

A  few  days  afterwards  I  went  by  rail  to  Contocook  where 
I  was  met  by  Mr.  Anderson,  who  took  me  out  to  his  hospi 
table  home  a  couple  of  miles  from  the  town.  This  Anderson 
was  a  remarkable  man.  Having  no  education  to  speak  of, 
he  was  a  better  judge  of  human  nature  and  practical  affairs 
of  life  than  any  other  man  I  ever  met.  He  was  pleased  with 
me,  and  said  he  wished  I  would  sit  down  in  the  evening  and 
tell  him  about  Sweden,  and  explain  to  him  what  I  had  learned 
,-it  school.  Poor  Anderson  !  He  had  one  fault,  rum  got  the 
better  of  him,  and  it  was  cheap  in  New  England  at  that  time, 
only  sixteen  cents  a  gallon.  He  bought  a  barrel  of  it  at  a 
t.me,  and  did  not  taste  water  as  long  as  the  rum  lasted. 

The  day  after  my  arrival  he  asked  me  if  I  would  like  to  go 
with  him  into  the  woods  to  help  cut  some  logs.  Of  course  I 
would,  and  we  took  our  axes  and  started  off.  It  was  a  very 
cold  December  day,  and  Ihad  thin  clothes  and  no  mittens. 
Mr.  Anderson  went  to  cut  down  a  tree,  and  I  commenced  to 
work  at  one  which  was  already  felled.  This  was  the  first 
time  I  swung  an  axe  in  earnest,  and  after  a  short  while  I  felt 
that  my  hands  were  getting  cold.  But  I  made  up  my  mind 
not  to  stop  until  the  log  was  finished.  By  holding  the  axe 
handle  very  tight  it  stopped  the  circulation  of  the  blood 
through  my  fingers,  and  when  I  finally  stopped  and  dropped 
the  axe  I  could  not  move  my  fingers,  for  eight  of  them  were 
frozen  stiff.  Mr.  Anderson  now  took  off  his  cap,  filled  it  with 
snow,  put  my  hands  into  the  snow,  and  thus  we  ran  to  the 


26  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

house  as  fast  as  our  legs  would  carry  us.  The  doctor  tried 
his  very  best;  but,  nevertheless,  in  a  few  days'  the  flesh  and 
the  nails  began  to  peel  off,  and  two  doctors  decided  to  ampu 
tate  all  the  fingers  on  my  right  hand.  Fortunately  I  did  not 
give  my  consent,  but  told  them  that  I  would  rather  die  of 
gangrene  than  live  without  hands,  for  my  future  depended  ex 
clusively  on  them. 

My  friend  Eustrom,  having  heard  of  my  misfortune,  soon 
came  to  visit  me,  and  brought  with  him  an  old  Irish  woman 
-who  was  something  of  a  doctor,  and  cured  my  hands 
by  means  of  a  very  simple  plaster  which  she  prepared 
herself.  But  I  was  forced  into  complete  inactivity  for 
more  than  three  months,  during  which  time  I  was  entirely 
helpless,  and  had  to  be  washed,  dressed,  and  fed  like  an  infant. 
But,  as  to  me,  the  old  proverb  has  always  proved  true: 
*'  When  things  are  at  the  worst  they'll  mend."  There  were 
men  and  women  in  my  accidental  home  who  willingly 
tended  to  me  in  my  trouble.  May  God  bless  them  for  it! 
In  the  latter  part  of  March,  Mr.  Anderson,  who  had  always 
treated  me  with  the  greatest  kindness,  quite  unexpectedly 
told  me  that  I  was  now  able  to  work  again  and  could  try 
to  get  a  place  with  some  other  family  in  the  neighborhood, 
because  he  could  not  keep  me  any  longer. 

Our  nearest  neighbor  was  a  genuine  Yankee.  Daniel  Dustin 
by  name.  He  was  very  rich,  well  read,  liberal  minded,  re 
spectable  and  honest,  but  so  close  that  he  would  scarcely  let 
his  own  family  have  enough  food  to  eat,  and  his  wife  was 
even  more  stingy.  Mr.  Dustin  agreed  to  let  me  work  for 
my  board  until  spring,  and  then  he  would  give  me  five 
dollars  a  month,  which  offer  I  cheerfully  accepted.  He  im 
mediately  took  me  out  into  the  woods  to  chop  wood  for  the 
summer,  and  he  was  to  haul  it  home.  The  new,  tender  mus 
cles  and  nails  on  my  fingers  made  wood  chopping  very 
painful  to  me,  and  I  could  feel  every  blow  of  the  axe  through 


STOKV  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  27 

my  entire  body.  Never  has  any  man  worked  so  hard  for 
me,  when  I  afterwards  hired  help  for  good  wages,  as  I 
worked  for  my  board  here;  and,  by  the  way,  this  board 
consisted  chiefly  of  potatoes  and  corn  meal  cake.  When  the 
spring  work  commenced  I  got  five  dollars  a  month,  and  had 
to  get  up  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  do  the  chores,  and 
then  work  in  the  field  from  seven  in  the  morning  until  dark. 
In  the  beginning  of  June  I  got  a  letter  from  my  parents,  stat 
ing  that  my  father  and  brother  were  going  to  leave  for  New 
York  immediately,  and  they  asked  me  to  meet  them  there  and 
go  West  with  them.  I  had  never  complained  in  my  letters  to 
my  parents,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  I  had  not  advised  them 
to  come  to  America,  either.  They  had  been  advised  to  do  so 
by  some  of  my  fellow-passengers  on  the  "  Ambrosius,"  who 
went  to  Illinois,  and  were  highly  pleased  with  their  pros 
pects.  So  I  went  to  Boston  again.  My  father's  vovage  had 
been  delayed,  and  I  had  to  wait  for  him  over  a  month,  during 
which  time  I  got  sick,  and  would  have  been  in  a  sorry  plight, 
indeed,  if  it  had  not  been  for  my  friend  Eustrom,  who  now 
felt  like  a  rich  man,  with  his  six  dollars  a  week.  A  couple  of 
years  later  he  became  the  partner  of  his  employer. 


CHAPTER    III. 

The  Arrival  of  my  Father  and  Brother— Journey  to  Illinois— Work  on  a 
Railroad  —  The  Ague — Doctor  Ober  —  Religious  Impressions  —  The  Ar 
rival  of  my  Mother,  Sister  and  her  Husband  —  A  Burning  Railroad 
Train  —  We  go  to  Minnesota  —  Our  Experience  as  Wood  Choppers  and 
Pioneers. 


Finally  my  father  and  brother  arrived,  and  again  I  turned 
my  course  westwards  in  company  with  them  and  their 
friends.  We  traveled  by  rail  to  Buffalo  and  across  the  lake 
to  Toledo,  thence  by  rail  again  to  Chicago.  In  the  summer 
of  1852  there  were  no  railroads  west  of  Chicago,  and  our 
company  had  to  take  passage  on  a  canal-boat  drawn  by 
horses  to  La  Salle,  and  from  this  place  we  rode  in  farmers 
wagons  to  Andover  and  Gulesburg.  The  country  around 
there  was  as  yet  only  in  the  first  stages  of  development; 
there  was  very  little  money  in  circulation,  and  no  demand  for 
farm  products.  The  immigrants  suffered  a  great  deal  from 
fever  and  other  climatic  diseases. 

My  brother  who  was  nearly  sixteen  years  old  soon  ob 
tained  steady  work  from  an  American  farmer,  while  my 
father  and  I  had  to  do  different  kinds  of  work,  such  as  build 
ing  fences,  stacking  grain,  etc.  The  only  pay  we  could  get 
was  checks  on  some  store.  I  remember  what  an  abundance 
of  provisions  there  was  in  that  locality,  and  nobody  seemed 
to  be  in  need. 

A  farmer  near  Galesburg,  for  whom  I  worked  a  week,  had 
so  many  hens  and  chickens  and  eggs,  that  when  people  came 
out  from  town  to  buy  eggs,  they  were  told  to  pay  ten  cents, 

—28— 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  29 

go  out  to  the  barn  and  fill  their  baskets  with  freshly-laid 
eggs,  no  matter  how  big  the  basket.  Beef  and  pork  had 
scarcely  any  value,  and  anybody  could  go  into  a  cornfield 
that  fall  and  gather  a  crop  on  half  shares. 

There  was  much  religious  interest  among  the  Swedes  in 
Illinois  at  that  time.  The  Methodists  and  Lutherans  were 
already  building  churches,  and  held  services  side  by  side 
in  many  of  the  towns  and  settlements,  although  they  num 
bered  only  a  few  families  yet.  I  remember  distinctly  one 
Sunday  attending  service  in  a  Methodist  church  listening  to 
an  eloquent  preacher,  taking  for  his  text  "The  Broad  and 
the  Narrow  Ways."  He  depicted  both  in  glowing  language, 
and  wound  up  with  the  following  words,  pronounced  in  a 
broad  (Swedish)  dialect:  "My  dear  brethren,  I  have  now 
shown  you  the  two  ways,  and  you  may  take  which  ever  you 
like;  that  is  all  the  same  to  me." 

My  father  had  taken  with  him  only  just  enough  money  to 
pay  his  way,  although  he  had  by  no  means  exhausted  his 
resources  in  Sweden,  for  he  had  prudently  decided  to  spend 
at  least  a  year  in  seeing  the  country  and  making  himself 
familiar  with  its  institutions,  customs,  manner  of  tilling  the 
soil,  etc.  At  this  time  he  was  a  strong  man,  at  the  age  of 
fifty.  In  order  to  obtain  steady  work,  we  two,  and  a  few 
others  of  our  company,  hired  a  man  in  Galesburg  to  take  us 
to  Rock  River,  where  a  bridge  for  the  Chicago  &  Rock  Island 
Railroad  was  being  built.  We  all  got  work,  and  had  to  take 
hold  of  the  spade  and  the  shovel.  The  wages  in  those  days 
for  railroad  laborers  were  from  seventy-five  cents  to  one 
dollar  per  day.  I  received  only  seventy-five  cents,  out  of 
which  my  board  was  to  be  paid,  which,  however,  was  very 
cheap,  one  dollar  and  a  half  per  week  only.  A.  Swede  by  the 
name  of  Hoffman  kept  a  boarding  house  for  thirty-four  of  us, 
and  all  would  have  been  well  except  for  the  ague.  No  man 
remained  there  many  days  without  getting  the  "shakes;"  I 


33  FTORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

and  my  father  got  them  the  second  day.  The  lower  part  of 
the  shanty  in  which  we  boarded  was  used  for  dining-room 
and  kitchen,  the  upper  for  sleeping  on  the  floor.  The  shanty 
was  as  shaky  as  the  ague,  which  came  regularly  every  other 
day.  Fate  had  so  arranged  it  that  seventeen  of  us  had  the 
chills  one  day,  and  seventeen  the  next  day.  Hoffman  and 
his  wife  fortunately  also  had  the  chills  alternate  days,  so 
that  there  was  always  one  to  attend  to  the  cooking. 

Some  may  doubt  it,  but  it  is  a  solemn  fact,  that  when 
seventeen  ate  dinner  below,  the  shaking  of  those  upstairs 
sometimes  shook  the  house  until  we  could  hear  the  plates 
rattling  on  the  table. 

During  my  healthy  days  I  stood  on  the  bottom  of  Rock 
River  from  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  seven  at  night, 
throwing  wet  sand  with  a  shovel  onto  a  platform  above, 
from  which  it  was  again  thrown  to  another,  and  from  there 
to  terra  firma.  The  most  disagreeable  part  of  the  business 
was  that  one-quarter  of  each  shovel-full  came  back  on  the 
head  of  the  operator. 

After  a  coupleof  weeks  the  company's  paymaster  came 
along,  and  upon  settling  my  board  bill  and  deducting  for  the 
shaking  days,  I  made  the  discovery  that  I  was  able  to  earn 
only  fifteen  cents  net  per  week  in  building  railroad  bridges. 

Being  half  dead  by  this  time  from  over  work  and  sickness, 
we  decided  to  see  if  we  could  strike  an  easier  job,  and,  if  pos 
sible,  a  better  climate.  We  happened  to  meet  a  farmer  by 
the  name  of  Peterson,  with  whom  we  rode  to  a  place  near 
Moline,  where  my  father  tended  to  me  during  my  illness. 
When  he  was  not  occupied  with  this  he  chopped  cord  wood 
from  dry  old  trees.  I  also  tried  to  assist  him  in  this,  but 
found  my  strength  gone. 

Among  the  Swedes  living  in  Moline  at  that  time  was  a 
tailor,  Johnson  by  name,  a  good  kind-hearted  man  who,  to- 
gejther  with  his  wife,  was  always  ready  to  aid  his  needy 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  31 

countrymen  and  get  something  to  do  for  such  as  could  work. 
I  went  to  him  one  day  to  ask  for  advice  or  assistance,  just  as 
a  great  many  had  done  before  me.  I  was  so  weak  and  sick 
ly  that  they  had  to  assist  me  in  getting  into  the  house,  but 
they  received  me  as  if  I  had  been  their  own  son,  and,  after  a 
short  rest,  Mr.  Johnson  took  me  to  one  Dr.  Ober,  who  care 
fully  investigated  my  mental  as  well  as  my  physical  condition, 
and  told  me  that  such  hard  work  as  I  had  been  doing  would 
kill  me,  and  that  I  ought  to  rest  and  take  it  easy.  He  was 
one  of  those  magnanimous,  noble  men  who  are  to  be  met 
with  in  all  climes  and  walks  of  life,  but  who  are  easily  rec 
ognized  because  they  are  so  few.  As  I  have  said  before,  I 
have  been  very  fortunate  in  getting  acquainted  with  the  best 
men  and  women  of  different  classes  and  nations  with  which 
I  have  come  in  contact.  While  we  were  sitting  in  his  re 
ception  room  the  doctor  suddenly  left  us  and  went  into  his 
private  room.  In  a  short  time  he  returned  accompanied  by 
his  wife,  a  lady  whose  silvery  locks  and  benignantly  sympa 
thizing  looks  made  her  seem  more  beautiful  tome  than  a  ma 
donna.  Having  simply  taken  a  hasty  look  at  me,  the  doctor 
and  his  wife  again  withdrew,  and  when  they  returned  he 
offered  to  let  me  stay  with  them  like  a  member  of  the  family 
in  order  that  he  might  try  to  restore  my  health;  he  also 
allowed  me  to  avail  myself  of  his  library  and  to  attend  school, 
the  only  condition  being  that  I  should  do  chores  around  the 
house  and  take  care  of  the  horses. 

I  moved  the  same  day,  got  a  pleasant  room  and  a  snug 
bed,  good,  substantial  food,  and,  above  all,  good  and 
friendly  treatment,  so  that  from  the  time  I  came  there  until 
the  day  I  left,  I  felt  as  if  I  had  been  a  child  of  the  house, 
Dr.  Ober,  who  was  a  religious  man,  belonged  to  the  Bap 
tist  Church,  and  as  I  now  lived  under  its  beneficient  influence, 
and  also  became  acquainted  with  the  Swedish  Baptist  Pas 
tor,  Rev.  G.  Palmquist,  and  a  few  others  who  constituted 


32  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

the  nucleus  of  the  First  Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  America, 
I  became  a  member  of  their  society  before  spring  and  would 
probably  have  continued  a  member  of  this  denomination,  if 
circumstances  which  were  beyond  my  control,  had  not 
brought  me  to  other  fields  of  action  and  other  surroundings. 

This  winter  passed  in  a  very  pleasant  manner.  In  the 
afternoon  I  attended  an  English  school,  and  in  the  evening  I 
gave  instructions  in  English  toother  young  men  and  women. 
The  friendship  of  Dr.  Ober  and  his  wife  never  failed,  and 
many  years  after  wards  I  was  a  welcome  guest  at  their  home 
in  La  Crosse,  Wis.,  to  which  place  they  had  moved  from 
Moline.  Both  of  them  now  slumber  under  the  sod,  but  their 
manv  good  deeds  shall  live  for  ever. 

My  father  was  much  pleased  with  the  great  west,  and  he 
wrote  back  to  the  rest  of  our  family  in  Sweden  to  come  to 
this  country  the  next  summer,  and  in  May  I  started  to  meet 
them  in  Boston.  As  there  were  no  railroads  to  Moline,  I  took 
a  steamboat  to  Galena,  and  thence  the  stage-coach  to  Free- 
port,  and  from  there  to  Chicago  by  rail. 

The  vessel  carrying  my  mother  and  the  party  with  her 
was  three  months  on  the  ocean,  and  there  was  great  scarcity 
of  provisions  on  board.  The  ship  at  last  arrived,  in  the 
month  of  July,  and  a  couple  of  days  later  the  whole  party, 
consisting  of  about  two  hundred,  took  the  train  for  the  west, 
I  volunteering  as  their  guide  and  interpreter.  All  went  well 
until  about  one  hundred  miles  east  of  Chicago,  when  the 
baggage  car  attached  to  our  train  in  front  caught  fire. 
It  was  thought  best  to  try  to  reach  a  station,  and  the 
burning  train  sped  on  at  the  rate  of  sixty  miles  an  hour. 
The  scene  was  a  frightful  one,  the  cars  crammed  full  of 
frightened  emigrants,  the  flames  hissing  like  serpents  from 
car  to  car,  windows  cracking,  people  screaming,  and  women 
fainting,  all  at  the  same  time  looking  to  me,  who  was  not 
yet  twenty  years  of  age,  for  protection  and  deliverance. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  33 

As  soon  as  possible  I  placed  reliable  men  as  guards  at  trie 
doors  to  prevent  the  people  from  rushing  out  and  crowding 
each  other  off  the  platform.  The  train  did  not  reach  the  sta 
tion  but  had  to  be  stopped  on  the  open  prairie,  where  \ve 
all  were  helped  out  of  the  cars  with  no  accident  of  any  kind 
except  every  particle  of  baggage,  saving  only  what  the  pas 
sengers  had  in  their  seats  with  them,  was  burnt.  In  due 
time  another  train  brought  us  to  Chicago,  where  the  rail 
road  company  immediately  offered  to  pay  all  losses  as  soon 
as  lists  of  the  property  destroyed  could  be  made  out 
and  properly  verified.  I  undertook  to  do  all  that  work 
without  the  aid  of  consul,  lawyer  or  clerk,  collecting  nearly 
twenty  thousand  dollars,  for  old  trunks,  spinning-wheels, 
copper  kettles,  etc.  Having  lost  nothing  myself,  I  of  course 
received  nothing,  and  as  the  Company  did  not  consider  it 
their  duty  to  pay  me  for  my  trouble,  one  of  the  emigrants 
suggested  that  they  should  chip  in  to  compensate  me  for  the 
valuable  services  I  had  rendered.  Accordingly  the  hat  was 
passed,  the  collection  realizing  the  magnificent  sum  of  two 
dollars  and  sixty  cents,  which  was  paid  me  for  being  their  in 
terpreter  during  thelong  journey,  and  for  collecting  that  large 
sum  of  money  without  litigation  or  delay.  No  lawyer,  consul 
or  agent  would  have  been  satisfied  with  less  than  five  hundred 
dollars,  but  I  can  truthfully  say  that  I  never  raised  a  word 
of  complaint,  but  freely  forgave  the  people  on  account  of 
their  ignorance.  Many  of  them  I  also  served  afterwards  on 
the  way  to  Moline  and  Minnesota.  In  due  time  our  party 
arrived  in  Moline,  where  my  parents  bought  a  small  piece 
of  property  with  the  money  brought  from  Sweden. 

Minnesota  was  then  a  territory  but  little  known  ;  yet  we 
had  heard  of  its  beautiful  lakes,  forests,  prairies  and  salu 
brious  climate.  Quite  a  number  of  our  company  had  de 
cided  to  hunt  up  a  place  for  a  Swedish  settlement  where  land 
could  be  had  cheap.  It  was  finally  agreed  that  a  few  of  us 


34  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

should  go  to  Minnesota  and  select  a  suitable  place.  Being 
the  only  one  of  the  party  who  could  speak  English,  I  was 
naturally  appointed  its  leader.  My  father  also  went  with  UP, 
and  so  did  Mr.  Willard  and  his  wife,  the  whole  party  taking 
deck  passage  on  a  Mississippi  steamer,  and  arriving  at 
St.  Paul  in  the  month  of  August. 

At  that  time  St.  Paul  was  an  insignificant  town  of  a  few 
hundred  inhabitants.  There  we  found  Henry  Russell,  John 
Tidlund,  and  a  few  other  Swedish  pioneers.  Mr  Willard  and 
I  had  very  little  money,  and  for  the  few  dollars  which  we  did 
own  we  bought  a  little  household  furniture,  and  some  cook 
ing  utensils.  We  therefore  at  once  sought  employment  for 
him,  while  the  rest  of  our  party  started  off  in  search  of  a  suit 
able  location  for  the  proposed  settlement. 

We  had  been  told  that  there  were  a  number  of  our  country 
men  at  Chisago  Lake  and  a  few  near  Carver,  but  that  all 
had  settled  on  timber  lands.  We  also  learned  that  near  Red 
Wing,  in  Goodhue  county,  places  could  be  found  with  both 
timber  and  prairie,  and  an  abundance  of  good  water.  Hav 
ing  looked  over  the  different  localities  we  finally  decided  on 
the  present  town  of  Vasa,  about  twelve  miles  west  of  Red 
Wing.  The  first  claims  were  taken  at  Relle  Creek,  south  of 
White  Rock,  and  afterwards  others  were  taken  at  a  spring 
now  known  as  Willard  Spring,  near  which  the  large  brick 
church  now  stands. 

After  selecting  this  land  my  father  returned  to  Illinois.  In 
company  with  the  other  explorers,  I  went  to  St.  Paul,  where 
a  council  was  held  in  which  all  participated,  and  at  which  it 
was  decided  that  three  of  us,  Messrs.  Roos,  Kempe,  and  my 
self,  should  go  to  our  claims  that  fall  and  do  as  much  work 
as  possible,  until  the  others  could  join  us  the  following 
spring. 

Having  made  the  necessary  preparations  \ve  three  went  to 
Red  Wing  by  steamboat  and  found  a  little  town  with  half  a 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  35 

dozen  families,  among  whom  was  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Hancock, 
who  for  several  years  had  been  a  missionary  among  the  In 
dians.  The  other  settlers  were  Wm.  Freeborn,  Dr.  Sweeney, 
H.  L.  Bevans,  and  John  Day.  Besides  these  we  also  met 
two  Swedes,  Peter  Green,  and  Nels  Nelson,  and  a  Norwegian 
by  the  name  of  Peterson.  On  the  bank  of  the  river  the  Sioux 
Indians  had  a  large  camp.  The  country  west  of  Red  Wing 
was  then  practically  a  wilderness,  and  our  little  party  was 
the  first  to  start  in  to  cultivate  the  soil  and  make  a  perma 
nent  settlement. 

At  Red  Wing  we  supplied  ourselves  with  a  tent,  a  cook 
stove,  a  yoke  of  oxen,  carpenter's  tools,  provisions  and  other 
necessaries.  Having  hired  a  team  of  horses,  we  then  packed  out 
goods  on  a  wagon,  tied  the  cattle  behind,  and  started  for  the 
new  settlement.  The  first  four  miles  we  followed  the  terri 
torial  road ;  after  that  we  had  nothing  but  Indian  trails  to 
guide  us.  Toward  evening  we  arrived  at  a  grove  on  Belle 
Creek,  now  known  as  Jemtland.  Here  the  tent  was  pitched 
and  our  evening  meal  cooked,  and  only  pioneers  like  our 
selves  can  understand  how  we  relished  it  after  our  long  day's 
tramp.  The  team  was  taken  back  the  next  day,  and  we 
were  left  alone  in  the  wilderness. 

After  a  day's  exploration  we  moved  our  camp  two  miles 
further  south,  to  another  point  near  Belle  Creek,  where  Mr. 
Roos  had  taken  his  claim. 

It  was  now  late  in  September,  and  our  first  care  was  to 
secure  enough  hay  for  the  cattle,  and  in  a  few  days  we  had  a 
big  stack.  Having  read  about  prairie  fires,  we  decided  to 
protect  our  stack  by  burning  away  the  short  stubble  around 
it.  But  a  minute  and  a  half  was  sufficient  to  convince  us 
that  we  had  made  wrong  calculations,  for  within  that  time 
the  stack  itself  was  burning  with  such  fury  that  all  the  water 
in  Belle  Creek  could  not  have  put  it  out.  Still,  this  was  not 
the  worst  of  it.  Before  we  had  time  to  recover  from  our 


36  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

astonishment  the  fire  had  spread  over  the  best  part  of  the 
valley  and  consumed  all  the  remaining  grass,  which  was 
pretty  dry  at  that  time  of  the  year.  Inexperienced  as  we 
were,  we  commenced  to  run  a  race  with  the  wind,  and  tried 
to  stop  the  fire  before  reaching  another  fine  patch  of  grass 
about  a  mile  to  the  north;  but  this  attempt  was,  of  course, 
a  complete  failure,  and  we  returned  to  our  cheerless  tent 
mourning  over  this  serious  misfortune. 

The  next  morning  we  all  started  out  in  different  directions 
to  see  if  any  grass  was  left  in  Goodhue  County,  and  fort 
unately  we  found  plenty  of  it  near  our  first  camping- 
ground.  Having  put  up  a  second  stack  of  very  poor  hay, 
we  proceeded  to  build  a  rude  log  house,  and  had  just  finished 
it  when  my  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Willard,  surprised  us  by  ap 
pearing  in  our  midst,  having  left  in  Red  Wing  his  wife  and 
baby,  now  Mrs.  Zelma  Christensen  of  Rush  City,  who  is,  as 
far  as  I  know,  the  first  child  born  of  Swedish  parents  in  St. 
Paul.  Mr.  Willard  who  was  a  scholarly  gentleman  and  not 
accustomed  to  manual  labor,  had  found  it  rather  hard  to 
work  with  shovel  and  pick  on  the  hilly  streets  of  St.  Paul, 
and  made  up  his  mind  that  he  would  better  do  that  kind  of 
work  on  a  farm.  Messers.  Roosand  Kempe  having  furnished 
all  the  money  for  the  outfit,  I  really  had  no  share  in  it,  and 
as  we  could  not  expect  Mr.  Willard  and  his  family  to  pass 
the  winter  in  that  cabin,  I  immediately  made  up  my  mind 
to  return  with  him  to  Red  Wing.  In  an  hour  we  were  ready, 
and  without  waiting  for  dinner  we  took  the  trail  back  to 
that  place.  I  remember  distinctly  how,  near  the  head  of  the 
Spring  Creek  Valley,  we  sat  down  in  a  little  grove  to  rest 
and  meditate  on  the  future.  We  were  both  very  hungry, 
especially  Mr.  Willard,  who  had  now  walked  over  twenty 
miles  since  breakfast.  Then  espying  a  tempting  squirrel  in  a 
tree  close  by,  we  tried  to  kill  it  with  sticks  and  rocks;  but  we 
were  poor  marksmen,  and  thus  missed  a  fine  squirrel  roast. 


— >  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  37 

Tired  and  very  hungry  we  reached  Red  Wing  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  soon  found  my  sister,  Mrs.  Willard,  com 
fortably  housed  with  one  of  the  families  there.  Her  cheerful 
and  hopeful  nature  and  the  beautiful  baby  on  her  arm  gave 
us  fresh  joy  and  strength  to  battle  with  the  hardships  that 
wjre  in  store  for  us.  Mr.  Willard  and  his  wife  had  taken 
along  what  furniture  they  owned,  a  few  eatables  and  five 
dollars  and  fifty  cents  in  cash,  which  was  all  that  we  pos 
sessed  of  the  goods  of  this  world.  But  who  cares  for  money 
at  that  age?  Mr.  Wrillard  was  twenty-five  years  old,  my 
sister  twenty-three,  and  I  twent}r,  all  hale  and  hearty,  and 
never  for  a  moment  doubting  our  success,  no  matter  what 
we  should  undertake. 

Our  first  work  was  wood  chopping,  for  which  we  were 
less  fit  than  almost  anything  else.  We  had  to  go  to  a  place 
about  three  miles  above  Red  Wing,  where  a  man  had  made  a 
contract'to  bank  up  fifteen  hundred  cords  of  wood  for  the 
Mississippi  steamers.  There  was  an  old  wood  chopper's 
cabin  which  we  repaired  by  thatching  it  with  hay  and  earth, 
putting  in  a  door,  a  small  window,  and  a  few  rough  planks 
for  a  floor.  In  a  few  days  we  were  duly  installed,  baby  and 
all,  in  the  little  hut  which  was  only  twelve  by  sixteen  feet, 
but  to  us  as  dear  as  a  palace  to  a  king. 

We  began  to  chop  wood  at  once.  The  trees  were  tall,  soft 
maples  and  ash,  and  our  pay  was  fifty-five  cents  a  cord  for  soft 
and  sixty -five  cents  for  hard  wood.  At  first  both  of  us  could 
not  chop  over  a  cord  a  day  together;  but  within  a  week  we 
could  chop  a  cord  apiece,  and  before  the  winter  was  over 
we  often  chopped  three  cords  together  in  a  day.  After  a  few 
days  we  were  joined  by  four  Norwegian  wood  choppers  for 
whom  we  put  up  a  new  cabin  to  sleep  in;  but  my  sister  cook 
ed  for  us  all,  and  the  others  paid  for  their  board  to  Mr.  Wil 
lard  and  myself,  who  had  all  things  in  common.  Those  four 
men  were  better  workmen  than  we,  and  one  of  them,  Albert 


38  STORY  OP  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Olson,  often  chopped  three  cords  a  day.     They  were  quiet, 

industrious,  and  generous  fellows,  so  that  we  soon  became 

attached  to  each  other,  and  we  were  all  very  fond  of  the  little 

•Zelma.      My  sister  managed  our  household  affairs  so  well 

'.and  kept  the  little  house  so  neat  and  tidy  that  when  spring 

came  we  were  all  loth  to  leave. 

•  The  weather  being  fine  and  the  sleighing  good  in  the  begin- 
ing  of  January,  we  hired  John  Day  to  take  us  with  his  team 
to  our  claims  while  there  was  yet  snow,  so  that  we  might 
chop  and  haul  out  logs  for  the  house  which  Mr.  Willard  and 
1  intended  to  put  up  in  the  spring.  My  sister  remained  in 
the  cabin,  but  Albert  went  with  us  for  the  sake  ol  company. 
We  put  some  lumber  on  the  sled,  and  provided  ourselves  with 
hay  and  food  enough  to  last  a  few  days,  and  plenty  of  quilts 
and  blankets  for  our  bedding.  John  Day,  who  was  an  old 
frontiersman  with  an  instinct  almost  like  that  of  an  Indian, 
guided  us  safely  to  Willard  Spring.  A  few  hundred  yards 
below  this,  in  a  deep  ravine,  we  stopped  near  some  sheltering 
trees,  built  a  roaring  camp-fire,  and  made  ourselves  as  comfort 
able  as  possible.  Having  supped  and  smoked  our  evening 
pipe,  we  made  our  beds  by  putting  a  few  boards  on  the  snow, 
and  the  hay  and  blankets  on  top  of  those.  Then  all  four  of 
us  nestled  down  under  the  blankets  and  went  to  sleep. 

During  the  night  the  thermometer  fell  down  to  forty 
degrees  below  zero,  as  we  learned  afterwards.  If  we  had  sus 
pected  this  and  kept  our  fire  burning  there  would,  of  course, 
have  been  no  danger.  But  being  very  comfortable  early 
in  the  night  and  soon  asleep,  we  were  unconscious  of  danger 
until  aroused  by  an  intense  pain  caused  by  the  cold,  and 
then  we  were  already  so  benumbed  and  chilled  that  we  lacked 
energy  to  get  up  or  even  move.  We  found,  oncomparingnotes 
afterwards,  that  each  one  of  us  had  experienced  the  same 
sensations,  namely,  first  an  acute  pain  as  if  pricked  with 
needles  in  every  fibre,  then  a  deep  mental  tranquillity  which 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  39 

was  only  slightly  disturbed  by  a  faint  conception  of  some 
thing  wrong,  and  by  a  desire  to  get  up,  but  without  suffici 
ent  energy  to  do  so.  This  feeling  gradually  subsided  into 
one  of  quiet  rest  and  satisfaction,  until  consciousness  ceased 
altogether,  and,  as  far  as  pain  was  concerned,  all  was  over 
with  us. 

At  this  stage  an  accident  occurred  which  saved  our  lives. 
Mr.  Day,  who  lay  on  the  outside  to  the  right,  had  evidently 
held  his  arm  up  against  his  breast  to  keep  the  blankets  close 
to  his  body.  His  will-force  being  gone,  his  arm  relaxed  and 
fell  into  the  snow.  As  the  bare  hand  came  in  contact  with 
the  snow  the  circulation  of  the  blood  was  accelerated,  and 
this  was  accompanied  by  such  intense  pain  that  he  was 
aroused  and  jumped  to  his  feet. 

Thus  we  were  saved.  It  took  a  good  while  before  we 
could  use  our  limbs  sufficiently  to  build  a  fire  again,  and 
during  this  time  we  suffered  much  more  than  before.  From 
that  experience  I  am  satisfied  that  those  who  freeze  to  death 
do  not  suffer  much,  because  they  gradually  sink  into  a 
stupor  which  blunts  the  sensibilities  long  before  life  is 
extinct. 

It  was  about  four  o'clock  when  we  got  up.  Of  course  we 
did  not  lie  down  again  that  morning,  nor  did  we  attempt 
to  haul  any  timber,  but  started  in  a  bee  line  across  the 
prairie  for  the  ravine  where  Mr.  Willard  and  I  had  seen  the 
tempting  squirrel  a  few  months  before.  We  soon  found  that 
going  over  the  wild,  trackless  prairie  against  the  wind,  with 
the  thermometer  forty  degrees  below  zero  was  a  struggle  for 
life,  and  in  order  to  keep  warm  we  took  turns  to  walk  or 
run  behind  the  sleigh.  In  taking  his  turn  Mr.  Willard 
suddenly  sat  down  in  the  snow  and  would  not  stir.  We 
returned  to  him,  and  it  required  all  our  power  of  per 
suasion  to  make  him  take  his  seat  in  the  sleigh  again.  He 
felt  very  comfortable  he  said,  and  would  soon  catch  up  with 


40  STOHY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

us  again  if  we  only  would  let  him  alone.  If  we  had  followed 
his  advice,  he  would  never  have  left  his  cold  seat  again. 
After  a  drive  of  eight  miles  we  arrived  at  a  house  on  Spring 
Creek,  near  Red  Wing,  where  we  found  a  warm  room  and  a 
good  shed  for  the  horses.  After  an  hour's  rest  we  continued 
the  journey,  and  safely  reached  our  little  home  in  the  woods 
before  dark.  I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  appreciated  a  home 
more  than  I  did  that  rude  cabin  when  again  comfortably 
seated  by  its  warm  and  cheerful  fire-place. 

A  few  weeks  later  I  had  an  opportunity  to  visit  St.  Paul, 
and  while  there  attended  the  wedding  of  a  young  Nor 
wegian  farmer  from  Carver  County  and  a  girl  just  arrived 
from  Sweden.  The  cermony  was  performed  by  the  Rev. 
Xilsson,  a  Baptist  minister,  who  had  been  banished  from 
Sweden  on  account  of  proselyting.  Among  the  guests  was 
Mr.  John  Swainsson,  who  since  became  well  known  among 
the  Swedes  of  Minnesota,  and  who  died  in  St.  Paul  a  short 
time  ago.  I  also  made  the  acquaintance  of  one  Jacob 
Falstrom,  who  had  lived  forty  years  among  the  Indians  and 
devoted  most  of  that  time  to  missionary  work  among  them. 
He  was  a  remarkable  man,  and  was  well  known  among  the 
Hudson  Bay  employees  and  other  early  settlers  of  the 
Northwest.  As  a  boy  he  had  deserted  from  a  Swedish  vessel 
in  Quebec  and  made  his  way  through  the  wilderness,  seeking 
shelter  among  the  Indians;  and,  by  marrying  an  Indian  girl, 
he  had  become  almost  identified  with  them.  I  think  he 
told  me  that  he  had  not  heard  a  word  spoken  in  his  native 
tongue  in  thirty-five  years,  and  that  he  had  almost  forgotten 
it  when  he  met  the  first  Swedish  settlers  in  the  St.  Croix 
valle}r.  His  children  are  now  living  there,  while  he  has 
passed  away  to  the  unknown  land  beyond,  honored  and 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him,  Indians  as  well  as  white 
men. 

On  my  return  from  St.  Paul  I  stopped  at  the  cabin  of  Mr 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  4-1 

Pet?r  Green,  at  Spring  Creek,  near  Red  Wing.  The  only 
domestic  animals  he  had  was  a  litter  of  pigs,  and  as  Mr. 
Willard  and  I  intended  to  settle  on  our  land  in  the  spring  I 
thought  it  might  be  well  to  start  in  with  a  couple  of  pigs. 
Accordingly,  I  got  two  pigs  from  Mr.  Green,  put  them  in  a 
bag  which  I  shouldered,  and  left  for  our  cabin  in  the  woods. 
According  to  my  calculations,  the  distance  I  had  to  walk 
ought  not  to  be  over  three  miles,  and  in  order  to  be  sure  of 
not  getting  lost  I  followed  the  Cannon  river  at  the  mouth 
of  which  our  cabin  stood.  I  walked  on  the  ice  \vhere  the 
snow  was  about  a  foot  deep,  and,  if  I  had  known  of  the 
meanderingcourse  of  the  river,  I  would  never  have  undertaken 
to  carry  that  burden  such  a  distance.  From  nine  in  the  morn 
ing  until  it  was  almost  dark  I  trudged  along  with  my  bur 
den  on  my  back,  prompted  to  the  greatest  exertion  by  tl  e 
grunting  of  the  pigs,  and  feeling  my  back  uncomfortably 
warm.  These  were  the  first  domestic  animals  I  ever  owner1, 
and  I  think  I  well  earned  my  title  to  them  by  carrying  them 
along  the  windings  of  the  river  at  least  ten  miles.  Both  I 
and  the  pigs  were  well  received  when  we  reached  the  cabin. 
We  made  a  pig  pen  by  digging  a  hole  in  the  ground  and  cov 
ering  it  with  poles  and  brush,  and  fed  them  on  the  refuse 
from  the  table.  Before  we  were  ready  to  move  one  of  them 
died,  while  the  other,  after  being  brought  to  our  new  farm, 
ungratefully  ran  away,  and  was  most  likely  eaten  up  by  the 
wolves,  which  perhaps  was  just  as  agreeable  to  him  as  to  be 
eaten  by  us. 

While  living  in  this  camp  we  saw  more  Indians  thin 
white  men.  A  band  of  Sioux  Indians  camped  near  us  lor 
several  weeks.  They  were  very  friendly,  and  never  molested 
us.  The  men  brought  us  venison  and  fresh  fish,  which  they 
caught  in  great  quantities  by  spearing  them  through  the  ice. 
We  gave  them  bread  and  coffee,  and  sometimes  invited  one  or 
two  to  dinner  after  we  were  through.  Their  women  would 


42  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

stay  for  hours  with  my  sister  and  help  her  take  care  of  the 
baby.  Indeed  they  were  so  fond  of  the  white-haired  child 
that  they  would  vsometimes  run  a  race  in  vying  with  each 
other  to  get  the  first  chance  to  fondle  her.  Sometimes  we 
visited  them  in  their  tents  in  the  evening  and  smoked  Kini- 
kinick  with  them.  Several  of  their  dead  reposed  in  the 
young  trees  near  our  cabin.  When  somebody  died  it  was 
their  custom  to  stretch  the  dead  body  on  poles  which  were 
tied  to  young  trees  high  enough  to  be  out  of  the  reach  of 


^B^ 
MOUNTAIN  CHIEF. 

wild  beasts,  then  cover  it  with  blankets,  and  finally  leave 
some  corn  and  venison  and  a  jar  of  water  close  by.  At  some 
subsequent  visit  to  the  neighborhood  they  would  gather  the 
bones  and  bury  them  at  some  regular  burial-ground,  usually 
on  a  high  hill  or  bluff. 

Once  we  saw  a  regular  war  dance  in  Red  Wing.  A.  few 
Sioux  had  killed  two  Chippewa's  and  brought  back  their 
scalps  stretched  on  a  frame  of  young  saplings.  At  a  given 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  43 

hour  the  whole  band  assembled,  and,  amid  the  most  fan 
tastic  gestures,  jumping,  singing,  yelling,  beating  of  tom 
toms  and  jingling  of  bells,  gave  a  performance  which  in  lurid 
savageness  excelled  anything  I  ever  saw.  The  same  Indians 
again  became  our  neighbors  for  a  short  time  on  Belle  Creek 
the  following  winter,  and  we  rather  liked  them,  and  they  us. 
Bat  eight  years  later  they  took  part  in  the  terrible  massacre 
of  the  white  settlers  in  Western  Minnesota,  and  thirty-nine 
of  their  men  were  hanged  on  one  gallows  at  Mankato  in  the 
fall  of  1862  and  the  rest  transported  beyond  our  borders. 

Thus  our  first  winter  in  Minnesota  passed  without  further 
incidents,  until  the  beginning  of  March,  when  the  weather 
turned  so  mild  that  we  were  afraid  the  ice  on  the  Mississippi 
might  break  up,  and  we  therefore  hurried  back  to  Red  Wing. 
By  our  wood  chopping  and  Mrs.  Willard's  cooking  enough 
money  had  been  earned  to  buy  the  most  necessary  articles 
f  )r  our  new  home.  When  we  had  procured  evervthing  and 
taken  a  few  days'  rest,  we  again  hired  Mr.  John  Day  to  take 
us  out  to  our  land  with  his  team.  Hundreds  of  thousands 
of  immigrants  have  had  the  same  experience,  and  can  realize 
how  we  felt  on  that  fine  March  morning,  starting  from  Red 
Wing  with  a  wagon  loaded  with  some  boards  on  the  bottom, 
a  cook  stove  and  utensils,  doors,  windows,  a  keg  of  nails, 
saws,  spades,  a  small  supply  of  provisions,  a  bedstead  or 
two  with  bedding,  a  few  trunks,  and  a  little  box  containing 
our  spotted  pig,  Mrs.  Willard  in  the  seat  with  the  driver, 
her  baby  in  her  arms,  her  husband  and  myself  taking  turns 
as  guides,  John  Day  shouting  to  his  horses,  laughing  and 
joking  ;  all  of  us  full  of  hope,  strength  and  determination  to 
overcome  all  obstacles  and  co  qu  r  thewildness.  The  snow 
was  now  nearly  gone,  and  the  air  was  spring-like. 

After  a  twelve  miles'  heavy  pull  we  arrived  at  our  destina 
tion,  and  made  a  temporary  tent  of  sticks  and  blankets,  very 
much  after  the  Indian  fashion.  Two  of  the  Norwegian  had 


44  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

accompanied  us  to  help  build  our  cabin.  Mr.  Day  stopped  a 
couple  of  days  hauling  building  material,  and  before  night 
the  second  day  the  rear  part  of  our  cabin  was  under  roof. 
After  a  few  days  the  Norwegians  left  us,  and  Mr.  Willard  and 
myself  had  to  finish  the  main  part  of  the  building  which  was 
also  made  of  round  logs.  For  many  a  year  this  rude  log 
cabin  was  the  centre  of  attraction,  and  ahospitable stopping 
place  for  nearly  all  the  settlers  of  Vasa. 

In  the  month  of  April  cold  weather  set  in  again,  and  it 
was  very  late  in  the  season  when  steamboat  navigation  was 
opened  on  the  Mississippi.  At  that  time  all  provisions  had 
to  be  shipped  from  Galena  or  Dubuque,  and  it  happened  that 
the  winter's  supplies  in  Red  Wing  were  so  nearly  gone  that 
not  a  particle  of  flour  or  meat  could  be  bought  after  the  first 
of  April.  Our  supplies  were  soon  exhausted,  and  for  about 
two  weeks  our  little  family  had  only  a  peck  of  potatoes,  a 
small  panful  of  flour,  and  a  gallon  of  beans  to  live  on,  part  of 
which  was  a  present  from  Messrs.  Roos  andKempe,  who  had 
remained  all  winter  on  their  claims,  three  miles  south  of  us. 
They  had  been  struggling  against  great  odds,  and  had  been 
compelled  to  live  on  half  rations  for  a  considerable  length  of 
time.  Even  their  oxen  had  been  reduced  almost  to  the  point 
of  starvation,  their  only  feed  being  over-ripe  hay  in  small 
quantities. 

We  would  certainly  have  starved  if  it  had  not  been  for  my 
shot-gun,  with  which  I  went  down  into  the  woods  of  Belle 
Creek  every  morning  at  day-break,  generally  returning  with 
pheasants,  squirrels,  or  other  small  game.  One  Sunday  the 
weather  was  so  disagreeable  and  rough  that  I  did  not  suc 
ceed  in  my  hunting,  but  in  feeding  the  team  back  of  the 
kitchen  some  oats  had  been  spilt,  and  a  flock  of  blackbirds 
came  and  fed  on  them.  Through  an  opening  between  the 
logs  of  the  kitchen  I  shot  several  dozen  of  these  birds,  which, 
by  the  way,  are  not  ordinarily  very  toothsome.  But,  being 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  45 

a  splendid  cook,  my  sister  made  them  into  a  stew,  thickened 
with  a  few  mashed  beans  and  a  handful  of  flour — in  our  es 
timation  the  mess  turned  out  to  be  a  dinner  fit  forkings. 

Our  supplies  being  nearly  exhausted,  I  started  for  Red 
Wing  the  next  morning,  partly  to  save  the  remaining  hand 
ful  of  provisions  for  my  sister  and  her  husband,  partly  in 
hopes  ol  obtaining  fresh  supplies  from  a  steamboat  which  was 
expected  about  that  time.  Three  days  afterwards  the 
steamer  arrived.  As  soon  as  practicable  the  boxes  were 
brought  to  the  store  of  H.  L.  Bevans.  I  secured  a  smoked 
ham,  thirty  pounds  of  flour,  a  gallon  of  molasses,  some  coffee, 
salt  and  sugar,  strapped  it  all  (weighing  almost  seventy 
pounds)  on  my  back,  and  started  toward  evening  for  our 
cabin  in  the  wilderness.  I  had  to  walk  about  fourteen  miles 
along  the  Indian  trail,  but  in  spite  of  the  heavy  burden  I 
made  that  distance  in  a  short  time,  knowing  that  the  dear 
ones  at  home  were  threatened  by  hunger;  perhaps  the  howl 
ing  of  the  prairie  wolves  near  my  path  also  had  something 
to  do  with  the  speed.  There  are  events  in  the  life  of  ever}' 
person  which  stand  out  like  mile-stones  along  the  road,  and 
so  attract  the  attention  of  the  traveler  on  life's  journey  that 
they  always  remain  vivid  pictures  in  his  memory.  My 
arrival  at  our  cabin  that  evening  was  one  of  those  events  in 
our  humble  life.  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  the  joy  which 
my  burden  brought  to  all  of  us,  especially  to  the  young 
mother  with  the  little  babe  at  her  breast. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


Future  Hopes — Farm  Life — Norwegian  Pioneers — The  Condition  of  the 
Immigrant  at  the  Beginning  of  the  Fifties— Religious  Meetings  — The 
Growth  of  the  Settlement— Vasa  Township  Organized— A  Lutheran 
Church  Established— My  Wedding— Speculation— The  Crisis  of  1857  — 
Study  of  Law  in  Red  Wing — I  am  admitted  to  the  Bar  and  elected 
County  Auditor — Politics  in  1860 — War  is  Imminent. 

We  had  now  commenced  a  new  career,  located  on  our  farm 
claims  in  the  boundless  West,  with  no  end  to  the  prospects 
and  possibilities  before  us.  We  felt  that  independence  and 
freedom  which  are  only  attained  and  appreciated  in  the 
western  wilds  of  America. 

From  the  Mississippi  river  and  almost  to  the  Pacific  Ocean, 

was  a  verdant  field  for 

<?^*v- 

v    v^N,.^ 

V 

i(  ••//' 


the  industry,  energy 
and  enterprise  of  the 
settler.  To  be  sure,  our 
means  and  resources 
were  small,  but  some- 
OUK  WAGON.  how  we  felt  that  by 

hard  work  and  good  conduct  we  would  some  day  attain  the 
comfort,  independence  and  position  for  which  our  souls 
thirsted.  We  did  not  sit  down  and  wait  for  gold  mines  to 
open  up  before  us,  or  for  roasted  pigs  to  come  running  by  our 
cabin,  but  with  axe  and  spade  went  quietly  to  work,  to  do 
our  little  part  in  the  building  up  of  new  empires. 

In  the  beginning  of  May,  my  father  came  from  Illinois  and 
brought  us  a  pair  of  -steers  and  a  milch  cow;  this  made  us 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  47 

rich.  We  made  a  wagon  with  wheels  of  blocks  sawed  off  an 
oak  log;  we  also  bought  a  plow,  and,  joining  with  our 
neighbors  of  Belle  Creek,  bad  a  breaking  team  of  two  pair 
of  oxen.  That  breaking  team  and  that  truck  wagon,  with 
myself  always  as  the  chief  ox  driver,  did  all  the  breaking,  and 
all  the  hauling  and  carting  of  lumber,  provisions,  building- 
material  and  other  goods,  for  all  the  settlers  in  that  neigh- 
hood  during  the  first  season. 

Soon  others  of  our  party  from  last  year  joined  us.  Some 
letters  which  I  wrote  in  Hemlandet  describing  the  country 
around  us,  attracted  much  attention  and  brought  settlers 
from  different  parts  of  the  west,  and  while  the  Swedes  were 
pouring  into  our  place,  then  known  as  "Mattson's  Settle 
ment,"  (now  well  known  under  the  name  of  Yasa),  our  friends, 
the  Norwegians,  had  started  a  prosperous  settlement  a  few 
miles  to  the  south,  many  of  them  coming  overland  from  Wis 
consin,  bringing  cattle,  implements  and  other  valuables  of 
which  the  Swedes,  being  mostly  poor  new-comers,  were  desti 
tute.  Many  immigrants  of  both  nationalities  came  as  deck 
passengers  on  the  Mississippi  steamers  to  Red  Wing. 

There  was  cholera  at  St.  Louis  that  summer,  and  I  re 
member  how  a  steamer  landed  a  large  party  of  Norwegian 
immigrants,  nearly  all  down  with  cholera.  Mr.  Willardand 
myself  happened  to  be  in  Red  Wing  at  the  time,  and  the 
American  families,  considering  these  Norwegian  cholera 
patients  our  countrymen,  hastily  turned  them  over  to  our 
care.  We  nursed  them  as  best  we  could,  but  many  died  in 
spite  of  all  our  efforts,  and  as  we  closed  their  eyes,  and  laid 
them  in  the  silent  grave  under  the  bluffs,  it  never  occurred  to 
us  that  they  were  anything  but  our  countrymen  and 
brothers. 

From  these  small  beginnings  of  the  Swedish  and  Nor 
wegian  settlers  in  Goodhue  county,  in  the  }7ears  of  1853  and 
1854,  have  sprung  results  which  are  not  only  grand  but 


43 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


glorious  to  contemplate.  Looking  back  to  those  days  I  see 
the  little  cabin,  often  with  a  sod  roof,  single  room  used  for 
domestic  purposes,  sometimes  crowded  almost  to  suffoca 
tion  by  hospitable  entertainments  to  new-comers;  or  the 
poor  immigrant  on  the  levee  at  Red  Wing,  just  landed  from 
a  steamer,  in  his  short-jacket  and  other  outlandish  costume, 
perhaps  seated  on  a  wooden  box,  with  his  wife  and  a  large 
group  of  children  around  him,  and  wondering  how  he  shall 
be  able  to  raise  enough  means  to  get  himself  ten  or  twenty 
miles  into  the  country,  or  to  redeem  the  bedding  and  other 
household  goods  which  he  has  perchance  left  in  Milwaukee 
as  a  pledge  for  his  railroad  and  steam-boat  ticket.  And  I 


OUR  FIRST  HOME. 


see  him  trudging  along  over  the  trackless  prairie,  searching 
for  a  piece  of  land  containing  if  possible  prairie,  water  and  a 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  49 

little  timber,  on  which  to  build  a  home.  Poor,  bewildered, 
ignorant,  and  odd  looking,  he  had  been  an  object  of  pity  and 
derision  all  the  way  from  Gothenburg  or  Christiania  to  the 
little  cabin  of  some  country-man  of  his,  where  he  found 
rest  and  shelter  until  he  could  build  one  of  his  own. 

Those  who  have  not  experienced  frontier  lile,  will  natu 
rally  wonder  how  it  was  possible  for  people  so  poor  as  a 
majority  of  the  old  settlers  \vere,  to  procure  the  necessaries 
of  life,  but  they  should  remember  that  our  necessities  were 
few,  and  our  luxuries  a  great  deal  less.  The  bountiful  earth 
soon  yielded  bread  and  vegetables ;  the  woods  and  streams 
supplied  game  and  fish ;  and  as  to  shoes  and  clothing,  I  and 
many  others  have  used  shoes  made  of  untanned  skins,  and 
even  of  gunny-sacks  and  old  rags.  Furthermore,  the  small 
merchants  at  the  river  or  other  points,  were  always  willing 
to  supply  the  Scandinavian  emigrants  with  necessary  goods 
on  credit,  until  better  times  should  come.  Our  people  in  this 
country  did  certainly  earn  a  name  for  integrity  and  honesty 
among  their  American  neighbors,  which  has  been  a  greater 
help  to  them  than  money. 

Some  of  the  men  would  go  off  in  search  of  work,  and  in 
due  time  return  with  means  enough  to  help  the  balance  of 
the  family. 

Frontier  settlers  are  always  accommodating  and  generous. 
If  one  had  more  than  he  needed,  he  would  invariably  share 
the  surplus  with  his  neighbors.  The  neighbors  would  all 
turn  in  to  help  a  new-comer, — haul  his  logs,  build  his  house, 
and  do  other  little  services  for  him. 

The  isolated  condition  and  mutual  aims  and  aspirations 
of  the  settlers  brought  them  nearer  together  than  in  older 
communities.  On  Sunday  afternoons  all  \vould  meet  at  some 
centrally  located  place,  and  spend  the  day  together.  A  cup 
of  coffee  with  a  couple  of  slices  of  bread  and  butter,  would 
furnish  a  royal  entertainment,  and  when  we  got  so  far 


50  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

along  that  we  could  afford  some  pie  or  cake  for  dessert,  the 
good  house-wives  were  in  a  perfect  ecstacy.  The  joys  arid 
sorrows  of  one,  were  shared  by  the  others,  and  nowhere  in 
the  wide  world,  except  in  a  military  camp,  have  I  witnessed 
so  much  genuine  cordial  friendship  and  brotherhood  as 
among  the  frontier  settlers  in  the  West. 

One  fine  Sunday  morning  that  summer,  all  the  settlersmet 
under  two  oak  trees  on  the  prairie,  near  where  the  present 
church  stands,  for  the  first  religious  service  in  the  settlement. 
It  had  been  agreed  that  some  of  the  men  should  take  turns 
to  read  one  of  Luther's  sermons  at  each  of  these  gatherings, 
and  I  was  selected  as  reader  the  first  day.  Some  prayers 
were  said  and  Swedish  hymns  sung,  and  seldom  did  a  temple 
contain  more  devout  worshipers  than  did  that  little  congre 
gation  on  the  prairie. 

Before  the  winter  of  1854-55  set  in,  we  had  quite  a  large 
community  in  Vasa,  and  had  raised  considerable  grain, 
potatoes  and  other  provisions.  During  that  winter  the  Sioux 
Indians  again  became  our  neighbors,  and  frequently  sup 
plied  us  with  venison  in  exchange  for  bread  and  coffee.  The 
following  spring  and  summer  the  settlers  increased  still 
faster,  several  more  oxen  and  other  cattle,  with  a  horse  or 
two,  'were  brought  in,  and  I  had  no  longer  the  exclusive 
privilege  of  hauling  goods  on  the  little  truck  wagon. 

That  summer  I  again  went  to  Illinois  to  meet  a  large 
party  of  newly- arrived  emigrants  from  Sweden,  who  formed 
a  settlement  in  Vasa,  known  as  Skane.  The  people  from 
different  provinces  would  group  themselves  together  in  little 
neighborhoods,  each  assuming  in  common  parlance  the 
name  of  their  own  province;  thus  we  have  Vasa,  Skane, 
Smaland  and  Jemtland. 

About  this  time  a  township  was  formally  organized, 
and,  at  my  suggestion,  given  the  name  of  Vasa,  in  com 
memoration  of  the  great  Swedish  king.  Roads  were  also 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  51 

laid  out  legally,  and  a  township  organization  perfected.  A 
school  district  was  formed  and  soon  after  an  election  pre 
cinct,  and  as  I  was  the  only  person  who  was  master  of  the 
English  language  the  duty  of  attending  to  all  these  things 
devolved  upon  me.  We  were  particularly  fortunate  in 
having  many  men,  not  only  of  good  education  from  the  old 
country,  but  of  excellent  character,  pluck  and  energy,  men 
who  would  have  been  leaders  in  their  communities  if  they 
had  remained  at  home,  and  who  became  prominent  as  soon 
as  they  had  mastered  the  English  language.  This  fact, 
perhaps,  gave  a  higher  tone  and  character  to  our  little  com 
munity  than  is  common  in  such  cases,  and  Vasa  has  since 
that  time  furnished  many  able  men  in  the  county  offices,  in 
the  legislative  halls,  and  in  business  and  educational  circles. 
There  can  be  much  refinement  and  grace  even  in  a  log  cabin 
on  the  wild  prairie. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  month  of  September,  1855,  Rev.E. 
Norelius  visited  the  settlement  and  organized  a  Lutheran 
church. 

Thirty-five  years  have  elapsed  since  that  time,  and 
many  of  those  who  belonged  to  the  first  church  at  Vasa  now 
rest  in  mother  earth  close  by  the  present  stately  church 
edifice,  which  still  belongs  to  the  same  congregation,  and  is 
situated  only  a  short  distance  from  the  place  where  the 
latter  was  organized.  Rev.  Norelius  himself  lives  only  a  few 
hundred  yards  from  the  church  building.  Thirty-five  years 
have  changed  the  then  cheerful,  hopeful  young  man  into  a 
veteran,  crowned  with  honor,  and  full  of  wisdom  and  ex 
perience.  His  beneficent  influence  on  the  Swedes  of  Good- 
hue  county  and  of  the  whole  Northwest  will  make  his  name 
dear  to  coming  generations  of  our  people. 

On  November  23d,  in  the  same  fall,  the  first  wedding  took 
place  in  our  settlement.  Thp  &\\ thnr_of  these.  TJigtn o^1".?.  was 
joined  in  matrimony  to  Miss  Cherstin  Peterson,  from 


52  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Balingslof,  near  Kristianstad,  whose  family  had  just  come 
to  Vasa  from  Sweden.  By  this  union  I  found  the  best  and 
most  precious  treasure  a  man  can  find — a  good  and  dear 
wife,  who  has. faithfully  shared  my  fate  to  this  day.  Rev.  J. 
W.  Hancock,  of  Red  Wing,  performed  the  marriage  ceremony 
Horses  being  very  scarce  among  us  in  those  days,  the  minister 
had  to  borrow  an  Indian  pony  and  ride  on  horseback  twelve 
miles — from  Red  Wing  to  Vasa.  On  the  evening  of  our  wed 
ding  day  there  happened  to  be  a  severe  snow-storm,  through 
which  my  young  bride  was  taken  from  her  parents'  home  to 
our  log  house,  on  a  home-made  wooden  sled,  drawn  by  a 
pair  of  oxen  and  escorted  by  a  number  of  our  young  friends, 
which  made  this  trip  of  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  very 
pleasant,  in  spite  of  the  oxen  and  the  snow-storm. 

The  next  winter  was  very  severe,  and  manv  of  our  neigh 
bors  suffered  greatly  from  colds  and  even  frozen  limbs.  But 
there  was  an  abundance  of  provisions,  and,  as  far  as  I  can 
remember,  no  one  wras  in  actual  need  after  the  first  winter. 

In  the  spring  of  1856  several  new-comers  arrived  in  our 
colony.  That  year  marked  the  climax  of  the  mad  land 
speculation  in  the  Northwest.  Cities  and  towns  were  staked 
out  and  named,  advertised  and  sold  every  where  in  the  state, 
and  people  seemed  to  be  perfectly  wild,  everybody  expecting 
to  get  rich  in  a  short  time  without  working.  The  value  of 
real  estate  rose  enormously,  and  money  was  loaned  at  three, 
four,  and  even  five  per  cent,  a  month.  Fortunately,  very  few 
of  the  settlers  in  our  neighborhood  were  seized  by  this  mad 
fury  of  speculation.  I,  however,  became  a  victim.  I  bought 
several  pieces  of  land,  and  sold  some  of  them  very  profitably, 
and  mortgaged  others  at  an  impossible  rate  of  interest.  And, 
the  world  becoming  too  narrow  forme  on  the  farm,  I  availed 
myself  of  the  first  opportunity  to  trade  away  my  land  for 
some  property  in  Red  Wing,  which  was  a  booming  little  town 
at  that  time.  We  moved  from  the  plain  log  cabin  on  the  old 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  63 

farm  into  a  house  in  town,  where  I  engaged  in  a  successful 
mercantile  business.  But  speculation  was  in  the  air,  and  be 
fore  the  spring  of  1857  my  entire  stock  of  merchandize  was 
exchanged  for  town  lots  in  Wasioja  and  Geneva,  two  paper 
cities  further  west.  Meanwhile  my  friend  Mr.  Eustrom, 
with  his  young  wife  and  baby,  had  arrived  from  Boston, 
and  both  of  us,  with  our  families  and  a  few  friends,  moved 
out  to  Geneva  early  in  the  summer,  with  the  intention  of 
building  up  a  city  and  acquiring  riches  in  a  hurry.  But 
at  that  time  the  waves  of  speculation  began  to  subside, 
and  nine-tenths  of  the  cities  and  towns  which  were  mapped 
out,  and  the  great  enterprises  which  were  inaugurated  by 
enthusiasts  like  myself  suddenly  collapsed  into  a  mere 
nothing.  Among  these  was  also  Geneva,  which  is  not 
larger  to-day  than  when  we  left  it,  and  it  was  about  all  I 
could  do  to  raise  enough  money  to  get  back  to  Vasa  with 
my  wife.  My  friend  Eustrom  pre-empted  a  claim  near  Gene 
va  and  remained  there. 

Making  an  inventory  of  my  property  after  the  return  to 
Yasa  in  1857,  I  found  that  the  principal  thing  I  had  was  a 
debt  of  $2,000,  bearing  an  interest  of  five  per  cent,  a  month. 
In  order  to  pay  this  debt  we  sold  everything  we  had, 
even  our  furniture  and  my  wife 's  gold  watch.  This  was  the 
great  crisis  of  1857.  It  stirred  up  everybody  and  everything 
in  the  country,  and  it  was  no  wonder  that  I,  being  an  inex 
perienced  and  enthusiastic  young  man,  had  to  suffer  with  so 
many  others.  But  now  the  question  was,  what  should  I  do? 
I  could  not  return  to  the  farm,  for  I  had  none;  that  is,  it  was 
encumbered  for  about  twice  its  value. 

In  the  midst  of  these  difficulties  I  went  to  Red  Wing  one 
day  to  consult  a  prominent  lawyer  in  regard  to  some  busi 
ness  matters.  During  my  conversation  with  him  he  said : 
"  You  have  nothing  to  do  now,  you  have  had  enough  of  spec 
ulation,  you  know  the  English  language,  you  are  tolerably 


54  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

well  acquainted  with  our  laws,  well  educated,  young  and 
ambitious,  "why  not  study  law,  then  ?  This  state  and  this 
county  is  just  the  place  for  you  to  make  a  splendid  begin 
ning  in  that  profession.  Come  to  me,  and  within  a  year 
you  can  be  admitted  to  the  bar,  after  which  you  will  find  it 
easy  to  get  along." 

I  returned  to  Vasa  in  the  evening,  and,  having  consulted 
my  wife,  who  was  visiting  her  parents,  I  soon  made  up  my 
mind.  The  next  day  both  of  us  were  on  the  way  to  Red 
Wing  supplied  with  clothes,  bedding,  a  few  dishes  and  some 
provisions,  which  had  been  given  us  by  my  wife's  parents, 
who  also  conveyed  us  to  town.  In  Red  Wing  we  rented  a 
room  about  sixteen  feet  square,  got  a  cook  stove  and  a 
few  articles  of  furniture  on  credit,  and  everything  was  in 
order  for  housekeeping  and  the  study  of  law.  I  immediately 
commenced  my  course  of  study  with  that  excellent  lawyer. 
Mr.  Warren  Bristol,  who  afterwards  for  many  years  served 
as  United  States  Judge  in  New  Mexico,  where  he  recently 
died. 

This  life  was  something  new  for  my  young  wife,  who  had 
grown  up  in  a  house  of  plenty.  Now  she  had  to  try  her  hand 
at  managing  our  household  affairs,  with  the  greatest  econ 
omy,  and  she  accomplished  her  task  so  well  that  no  minister 
of  finance  could  have  done  better.  In  fact  we  were  so  poor 
that  winter  that  we  could  not  afford  to  buy  the  tallow  can 
dles  which  were  necessary  for  my  night  studies  (kerosene 
was  unknown  at  that  time).  But  every  evening  during  this 
trying  but  happy  winter  my  wife  made  a  lamp  by  pouring 
melted  lard,  which  her  parents  sent  us,  into  a  saucer,  and 
putting  in  a  cotton  wick,  and  in  my  eyes  this  light  was  more 
brilliant  than  the  rays  from  the  golden  chandeliers  in  the 
palaces  of  the  rich.  By  this  light  I  studied  Blackstone,  Kent, 
and  other  works  on  law. 
Late  in  the  spring  of  1858  a  place  became  vacant  in  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  55 

justice  of  the  peace,  and  I  succeeded  in  getting  the  appoint 
ment  to  this  position,  which  brought  me  a  couple  of  dollars 
now  and  then,  thus  improving  our  financial  condition  consid 
erably.  Early  in  the  summer  I  was  appointed  city  clerk, 
with  a  salary  of  $12.50  a  month,  which  was  quite  a  fortune 
for  us  at  that  time.  After  one  year's  hard  study  I  was  ad 
mitted  to  the  bar,  and  my  honored  teacher  accepted  me  as 
his  partner  on  good  conditions.  My  profession  seemed  to  be 
well  chosen ;  I  had  plenty  to  do,  and  met  with  all  the  success 
I  could  expect. 

My  first  case  in  the  district  court  was  before  Judge  McMil 
lan,  who  afterwards  became  chief  justice  of  our  supreme 
court,  and  then  United  States  senator.  In  opening  the  case 
I  became  nervous  and  excited  and  would  have  broken  down 
entirely  had  it  not  been  for  the  kindly  manner  in  which  the 
judge  overlooked  my  diffidence,  and  helped  me  out  of  the 
embarrassment  by  leading  me  on  and  putting  the  very 
words  in  my  mouth  ;  this  was  only  natural  to  his  kind  heart, 
and  he  probably  never  remembered  it,  but  to  me  it  was  an 
act  of  great  kindness,  never  to  be  forgotten,  especially  not 
when  more  than  twenty  years  after  the  little  incident  he 
needed  all  his  friends  to  rally  for  his  return  to  the  United 
States  senate,  his  most  formidable  opponent  being  the  vener 
able  and  beloved  statesman,  Alexander  Ramsey. 

My  law  practice  lasted  only  a  few  months,  as  I  was  ap 
pointed  county  auditor  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  soon  after  wards 
elected  to  fill  the  regular  term  of  office,  and  again  re-elected 
two  years  later.  Before  that  time  no  Swedish-American  had 
occupied  such  responsible  civil  office  in  the  United  States. 
But  I  probably  made  a  mistake  in  accepting  this  office  and 
thereby  turning  my  back  on  a  profession  at  which  I  would 
undoubtedly  have  made  more  easy  and  rapid  progress  than 
by  anything  else.  But  for  the  time  being  it  produced  great 
economical  improvements  in  our  private  life.  Our  little 


56  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

home,  the  narrow  room  which  served  as  bedroom,  study, 
kitchen  and  parlor,  was  soon  exchanged  for  a  neat  little 
house,  and  a  year  later  we  moved  into  a  larger  and  more 
comfortable  building,  which  was  our  own  property. 

Meanwhile  the  settlement  at  Yasa  had  prospered,  and  the 
population  had  materially  increased.  The  Scandinavian 
settlers  had  scattered  over  the  neighboring  towns  and  coun 
ties  with  marvelous  rapidity.  The  crisis  of  1857  had  been 
an  excellent  lesson  to  us  all,  for,  although  the  price  of  real 
estate  had  fallen  to  about  one-fourth  of  its  former  value, 
the  people  were  better  off  now  than  formerly,  owing  to 
better  management  and  more  prudent  economy. 

The  Scandinavians  had  now  commenced  to  take  a  lively 
interest  in  the  political  discussions  which  were  agitating  the 
entire  country  at  that  time.  The  all  absorbing  political 
question  of  the  day  was  "slavery"  or  "no  slavery"  in  the 
new  territories.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  Scandi- 
navians  were  almost  to  a  man  in  favor  of  liberty  to  all  men, 
and  that  they  consequently  joined  the  Republican  party, 
which  had  just  been  organized  for  the  purpose  of  restricting 
slavery. 

In  the  winter  of  1861,  while  I  was  holding  the  office  of 
auditor  the  second  term,  the  legislature  of  Minnesota  ap 
pointed  a  committee  to  revise  the  tax  laws.  This  com 
mittee  invited  five  county  auditors,  of  which  number  I  had 
the  honor  to  be  one,  to  assist  in  its  work.  The  tax  laws 
which  were  formulated  by  this  general  committee  were  in 
force  over  twenty  years. 

It  was  about  this  time  the  great  American  statesman,  W. 
H.  Seward,  visited  Minnesota.  I  heard  him  make  his  famous 
speech  in  St.  Paul,  in  which,  with  the  gift  of  prophecy,  he  de 
picted  the  future  grandeur  of  the  twin  cities.  I  also  heard 
Owen  Lovejoy,  a  member  of  congress  from  Illinois,  and  one 
of  the  leading  anti-slavery  agitators  of  the  times. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  57 

During  the  presidential  election  of  1860  the  political  ex 
citement  ran  very  high  in  the  whole  country.  The  Southern 
states  had  assumed  a  threatening  position,  and  expressed 
their  intention  to  secede  from  the  Union  if  Lincoln  was 
elected  president.  Throughout  the  whole  country  political 
clubs  were  organized.  The  Democrats  formed  companies 
which  they  called  ' 'Lit tie  Giants,"  which  was  the  nickname 
given  to  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  their  candidate  for  president. 

The  Republicans  also  organized  companies  which  they 
called  "  Wide  Awakes."  I  was  chosen  leader  of  the  Republi 
can  company  in  Red  Wing.  Political  meetings  were  very 
frequent  during  the  last  few  weeks  before  election,  and  among 
the  most  prominent  features  of  those  meetings  were  proces 
sions  and  parades  of  the  companies,  which  were  uniformed, 
and  carried  banners  and  torches.  During  the  campaign  C. 
C.  Andrews  and  the  late  Stephen  Miller,  respective  candidates 
for  presidential  electors  on  the  Democratic  and  Republican 
tickets,  held  meetings  together  and  jointly  debated  the  im 
portant  questions  of  the  day,  taking  of  course  opposite 
sides,  but  within  a  year  both  were  found  as  officers  in  the 
Union  army,  gallantly  fighting  for  the  same  cause. 

About  this  time  a  company  of  militia  organized  in  Red 
Wing,  and  I  was  one  of  the  lieutenants,  and  took  active  part 
in  its  drill  and  maneuvers.  Although  none  of  the  men  who 
took  part  in  these  movements  could  foresee  or  suspect  the 
approach  of  the  awful  struggle  which  was  to  plunge  the 
country  into  a  deluge  of  fire  and  blood,  still  they  all  seemed 
to  have  a  presentiment  that  critical  times  were  near  at 
hand,  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  all  true  citizens  to  make 
ready  for  them.  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  fifty-four  men 
out  of  our  little  company  of  only  sixty,  within  two  years 
became  officers  or  soldiers  in  the  volunteer  army  of  the 
United  States.  Although  the  Scandinavian  emigrants  had 
been  in  the  state  only  a  few  years,  they  still  seemed  to  take 


58  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

as  great  an  interest  in  the  threatening  political  difficulties 
of  the  times,  and  were  found  to  be  just  as  willing  as  their 
native  fellow-citizens  to  sacrifice  their  blood  and  lives  for  the 
Union. 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  Beginning  >f  the  Civil  War — The  Scandinavians  talcing  part  in  it- 
Appeal  in  Hemlfindet  to  the  Scandinavians  of  Minnesota — Company 
D.  Organized— The  Expressions  of  the  Press— The  Departure— The 
March  over  the  Cumberland  Mountains— The  Fate  of  the  Third 
Regiment. 


Going  from  the  court  house  on  the  afternoon  of  April  12th, 
1861,  a  friend  overtook  me  with  the  news  that  the  rebels  of 
the  South  had  fired  on  Fort  Sumpter.  The  news  spread 
rapidly,  and  caused  surprise  and  intense  indignation.  In  a 
few  days  the  governor  issued  a  proclamation  that  one 
thousand  men  should  be  ready  to  leave  our  young  state  for 
the  seat  of  war ;  more  than  a  sufficient  number  of  companies 
were  already  organized  to  fill  this  regiment,  and  the  only 
question  was,  who  were  to  have  the  first  chance  ?  This  first 
excitement  was  so  sudden  that  the  Scandinavians,  who  are 
more  deliberate  in  such  matters,  scarcely  knew  what  was 
going  on  before  the  first  enlistment  was  made. 

A  few  months  passed,  and  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  was 
fought.  It  was  no  longer  a  mere  momentary  excitement ;  it 
was  no  longer  expected  that  the  Rebellion  could  be  subdued 
in  a  single  battle  or  within  a  few  months,  but  it  was  gener 
ally  understood  that  the  war  would  be  long  and  bitter. 
Then  the  Scandinavians  of  Minnesota  began  to  stir.  We 
had  heard  that  a  few  Swedes  in  Illinois,  especially  Major- 
afterward  General — Stohlbrand  and  a  few  others,  had  en 
tered  the  army.  A  few  Scandinavians  had  also  enlisted  in 

-59- 


60  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

the  First  and  Second  regiments ;  but  there  was  no  general 
rising  among  them  in  our  state  until  I  published  an  appeal 
in  the  Swedish  newspaper  Hemlandet  in  Chicago.  The  fol 
lowing  is  an  extract  from  that  paper : 

"To  THE  SCANDINAVIANS  OF  MINNESOTA! 

11  It  is  high  time  for  us,  as  a  people,  to  arise  with  sword  in  hand,  and  fight 
for  our  adopted  country  and  for  liberty. 

"This  country  is  in  danger.  A  gigantic  power  has  arisen  against  it  and 
at  the  same  time  against  liberty  and  democracy,  in  order  to  crush  them. 

"  Our  state  has  already  furnished  two  thousand  men,  and  will  soon  r-e 
called  upon  for  as  many  more  to  engage  in  the  war.  Among  the  population 
of  the  state  the  Scandinavians  number  abottt  one-twelfth,  a  part  of  its 
most  hardy  and  enduring  people,  and  ought  to  furnish  at  least  three  rr 
four  hundred  men  for  this  army.  This  land  which  we,  as  strangers,  have 
made  our  home,  has  received  us  with  friendship  and  hospitality.  We  enjoy 
equal  privileges  with  the  native  born.  The  path  to  honor  and  fortune  is 
alike  open  to  us  and  them.  The  law  protects  and  befriends  us  all  alike. 
We  have  also  sworn  allegiance  to  the  same. 

"  Countrymen,  'Arise  to  arms;  our  adopted  country  calls!'  Let  us  prove 
ourselves  worthy  of  that  land,  and  of  those  heroes  from  whom  we  descend. 

"I  hereby  offer  m3Tself  as  one  of  that  number,  and  I  am  confident  that 
many  of  you  are  ready  and  willing  to  do  likewise.  Let  each  settlement 
send  forth  its  little  squad.  Many  in  this  neighborhood  are  now  ready 
to  go.  A  third  regiment  will  soon  be  called  by  the  governor  of  this 
state.  Let  us,  then,  have  ready  a  number  of  men  of  the  right  kind,  and 
offer  our  services  as  a  part  of  the  same.  Let  us  place  ourselves  on  the 
side  of  liberty  and  truth,  not  only  with  words  but  with  strong  arms, — 
with  our  lives.  Then  shall  our  friends  in  the  home  of  our  childhood  rejoice 
over  us.  Our  children  and  children's  children  shall  hereafter  pronounce  our 
names  with  reverence.  We  shall  ourselves  be  happy  in  the  consciousness  oi 
having  performed  our  duty,  and  should  death  on  the  field  of  battle  be  our 
lot,  then  shall  our  parents,  wives,  children  and  friends  find  some  consolation 
in  their  sorrow  in  the  conviction  that  they,  also,  by  their  noble  sacrifices, 
have  contributed  to  the  defense  and  victory  of  right,  justice,  and  liberty. 
And  a  grateful  people  shall  not  withhold  from  them  its  sympathy  and 
friendship." 

A  few  days  later  I  left  a  dear  wife,  home,  and  two  children, 
and  started  for  Fort  Snelling,  but  not  alone;  about  seventy 
Swedes  and  thirty  Norwegians  from  Red  Wing,  Vasa,  Chi- 
sago  Lake,  Holden,  Wanamingo,  Stillwater,  Albert  Lea  and 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


61 


other  places,  went  there  with  me,  or  joined  us  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days. 


MUSTERING    VOLUNTEERS. 

Meanwhile  the  third  regiment  had  been  called,  and  one 
hundred  of  my  companions  were  mustered  in  as  Company  D 
of  that  regiment,  with  myself  as  their  captain,  a  Norwegian 
friend,  L.  K.  Aaker,  formerly  a  member  of  our  legislature,  as 
first  lieiitenant,  and  my  old  friend  H.  Eustrom  as  second 
lieutenant.  Although  Company  D  was  the  only  military 
organization  in  our  state  consisting  exclusively  of  Scandina 
vians,  there  were  quite  a  number  of  those  nationalities  in 
every  regiment  and  company  organized  afterwards. 

I  may  be  excused  for  sajdng  a  few  words  concerning  my 
old  military  company.  It  consisted  of  the  very  flower  of  our 
young  men.  It  was  regarded  from  the  start  as  a  model  com 
pany,  and  maintained  its  rank  as  such  during  the  whole 
term  of  four  years'  service.  Always  orderly,  sober,  obedient 
and  faithful  to  every  duty,  the  men  of  Company  D,  though 
foreigners  by  birth,  won  and  always  kept  the  affectionate  re- 


62  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

gard  and  fullest  confidence  of  their  native-born  comrades.  A 
large  majority  of  them  are  resting  in  the  last  grand  bivouac, 
many  under  the  genial  Southern  sun,  but  no  word  of  reproach 
or  doubt  of  soldierly  honor  has  ever  been  heard  against  any 
of  those  living  or  dead. 

About  this  time  a  whole  regiment  of  Scandinavians, 
mostly  Norwegians,  was  organized  in  Wisconsin, — the  Fif 
teenth  Wisconsin  Infantry  regiment, —  which  rose  to  great 
distinction  during  its  long  service.  Its  brave  colonel,  Hans 
Hegg,  fell  mortally  wounded  while  commanding  a  brigade 
on  the  bloody  field  at  Chickamauga.  There  were  many  par 
tially  or  wholly  Swedish  companies  from  Illinois,  one  of 
which  belonged  to  the  Forty-third  Illinois  regiment,  under 
the  lamented  Capt.  Arosenius,  and  came  under  my  com 
mand  a  few  years  later  in  Arkansas.  There  were  also  many 
prominent  Swedish  officers  in  other  regiments,  such  as  Gen. 
C.  J.  Stohlbrand,  Cols.  Vegesack,  Malmborg,  Steelhammar, 
Broddy,  Elfving,  and  Brydolf,  Capts.  Stenbeck,  Silversparre, 
Sparrstrom,  Lempke,  Chas.  Johnson,  Erik  Johnson,  Van- 
strum,  Lindberg,  etc.,  and  Lieuts.  Osborne,  Edgren,  Liljen- 
gren,  Johnson,  Lindall,  Olson,  Gustafson,  Lundberg,  and 
many  others  whose  names  I  do  not  now  recall. 

In  the  Goodhue  county  records  for  October  15,  1861,  is  a 
paragraph  which  states  that,  as  the  county  auditor,  H. 
Mattson,  has  voluntarily  gone  to  the  war  with  a  company 
of  soldiers  to  defend  our  country,  it  is  resolved  that  leave  of 
absence  shall  be  extended  to  him,  and  that  the  office  of 
county  auditor  shall  not  be  declared  vacant  so  long  as  the 
deputy  performs  his  duties  properly. 

The  St.  Paul  Press  of  the  same  date,  has  the  following: 
"We  congratulate  Capt.  Mattson  and  his  countrymen  for 
the  splendid  company  of  Swedes  and  Norwegians  which  he 
commands.  Never  was  a  better  company  mustered  in  for 


STORY  OF  AK  EMIGRANT.  63 

In  the  beginning  of  November  two  steamers  arrived  at 
Fort  Snelling  and  took  the  Third  regiment  on  board.  We 
were  ordered  to  join  Buell's  arm}-  in  Kentucky.  Company 
E,  of  our  regiment,  was  also  mainly  from  Goodhue  county, 
and  when  the  steamers  arrived  at  Red  Wing,  they  stopped 
half  an  hour  to  let  Companies  D  and  E  partake  of  a  bounti 
ful  supper,  to  which  they  had  been  invited  by  their  city 
friends,  and  to  say  a  last  farewell  to  their  families  and  ac 
quaintances.  My  wife,  with  the  little  children,  my  sister, 
father,  brother,  and  other  relatives,  were  gathered  in  a  large 
room  in  the  hotel  opposite  the  landing.  The  half  hour  was 
soon  past,  and  the  bugle  sounded  "fall  in."  I  pass  over  the 
partingscene,  leaving  it  to  the  imagination  of  the  reader,  for 
I  cannot  find  words  to  describe  it  myself.  I  will  only  relate 
one  little  episode.  W7hen  the  bugle  sounded  for  departure  I 
held  my  little  two-year-old  daughter  in  my  arms;  her  arms 
were  clasped  around  my  neck,  and,  when  I  endeavored  to  set 
her  down,  she  closed  her  little  fingers  so  hard  together  that 
her  uncle  had  to  open  them  by  force  before  he  could  take 
her  away  from  me.  WThen  a  little  child  was  capable  of  such 
feelings,  it  may  be  surmised  what  those  felt  who  were  able 
to  comprehend  the  significance  of  that  moment. 

In  a  few  days  we  were  camped  on  a  muddy  field  in  Ken 
tucky,  quickly  learning  the  duties  of  soldier-life,  and  familiar 
izing  ourselves  with  the  daily  routine  of  an  army  in  the  field. 

My  military  career  of  four  }rears'  duration  passed  without 
any  event  of  particular  interest  or  importance ;  it  was  like 
that  of  two  million  other  soldiers — to  do  their  duty  faith 
fully,  whatever  that  duty  might  be — that  was  all. 

After  eight  months'  service  I  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
major  in  the  regiment.  At  that  time  we  were  serving  in 
middle  Tennessee.  Shortly  afterward  our  regiment,  with 
some  three  thousand  men  of  the  troops,  made  a  forced  march 
across  the  Cumberland  mountains.  In  order  to  give  the 


04  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

reader  an  idea  of  the  hardships  which  the  soldiers  occasion 
ally  had  to  endure  on  a  march,  I  shall  give  a  short  sketch 
of  this.  The  detachment  broke  camp  in  Murfreesboro  in  the 
forenoon  of  a  very  hot  day  toward  the  close  of  May,  and 
marched  twenty  miles  before  night,  which  was  considered 
a  good  distance  for  the  first  day.  Most  of  the  men  suffered 
from  blistered  feet,  and  they  were  all  very  tired.  We  pre 
pared  our  supper,  and  had  just  gone  to  rest  in  a  large  open 
field  and  were  beginning  to  fall  asleep,  when,  at  ten  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  the  signal  was  given  to  fall  in.  In  a  few  min 
utes  the  whole  force  was  in  line,  and  silently  resumed  the 
march  forward.  We  marched  the  whole  night,  the  whole  of 
the  next  day,  the  following  night,  and  till  noon  the  day 
after,  moving  altogether  a  distance  of  over  eighty  miles, 
over  a  difficult  and  partly  mountainous  country,  and  stop 
ping  only  one  hour  three  times  a  day  to  cook  our  coffee  and 
eat,  while  those  who  sank  down  by  the  roadside  entirely 
exhausted  were  left  until  the  rear-guard  came  and  picked 
them  up.  When  we  finally  arrived  at  our  destination  the 
enemy  that  we  were  pursuing  had  already  decamped,  and 
we  had  to  return  by  the  same  route  over  which  we  had 
come,  though  more  leisurely.  Among  the  many  victims  of 
this  march  was  a  bright  Norwegian  lieutenant  of  my  old 
compan}%  Hans  Johnson,  who  died  shortly  after  our  return 
to  Murfreesboro. 

A  few  days  afterward  the  regiment  started  on  an  expedi 
tion  to  the  South.  During  this  march  I  got  sick  with  the 
fever,  and  would  probably  have  died  at  Columbia,  Tenn.,  if 
my  friend  Eustrom,  who  at  that  time  was  captain  of  Com 
pany  D,  had  not  succeeded  in  getting  me  into  a  rebel  family, 
where  I  was  treated  with  the  greatest  care,  so  that  in  a  few 
days  I  was  able  to  go  by  rail  to  Minnesota  on  a  twenty 
days'  leave  of  absence.  This  took  place  in  the  beginning  of 
the  month  of  July,  1862. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  65 

Having  spent  a  fortnight  in  the  bosom  of  my  family  I  re 
turned,  with  improved  health,  to  resume  my  command.  I 
arrived  at  Chicago  on  a  Sunday  morning,  and,  as  I  had  to 
wait  all  day  for  my  train,  I  went  to  the  Swedish  church  on 
Superior  street.  Leaving  the  church,  I  heard  a  news-boy 
crying,  "  Extra  number  of  the  Tribune;  great  battle  atMur- 
freesboro;  Third  Minnesota  regiment  in  hot  fire!"  I  bought 
the  paper  and  hurried  to  the  hotel,  where  another  extra  edi 
tion  was  handed  me.  The  Union  troops  had  won  a  decisive 
victory  at  Murfreesboro,  and  totally  routed  the  forces  of 
Forrest,  consisting  of  eight  thousand  cavalry.  Later  in  the 
evening  a  third  extra  edition  announced  that  "The  Third 
regiment  has  been  captured  by  the  enemy,  and  is  on  the 
march  to  the  prisons  of  the  South."  Only  a  soldier  can  im 
agine  my  feelings  when  I  received  this  news.  I  arrived  in 
Tennessee  two  days  later,  only  to  meet  the  soldiers  return 
ing  from  the  mountains  where  they  had  been  released  on 
written  parole  by  the  enemy.  They  were  sore-footed,  ex 
hausted,  hungry  and  wild  with  anger,  and  looked  more  like 
a  lot  of  ragged  beggars  than  the  well-disciplined  soldiers 
they  had  been  a  few  days  before.  All  the  captured  officers 
had  been  taken  to  the  South,  where  they  were  kept  in  prison 
several  months.  Only  twro  of  them  succeeded  in  making 
their  escape.  One  of  those  was  Capt.  Eustrom,  who,  in 
company  with  Lieut.  Taylor,  made  his  escape  from  a  hos 
pital  building,  some  negroes  giving  them  clothes,  and, 
through  almost  incredible  hardships  and  dangers,  they  suc 
ceeded  in  reaching  our  lines,  and  I  met  them  two  days  after 
my  arrival  at  Nashville. 

The  capitulation  of  our  splendid  regiment  was  one  of  the 
most  deplorable  events  of  its  kind  during  the  whole  war.  It 
was  regarded  one  of  the  best  regiments  of  volunteers  of  the 
Western  army.  It  had  defended  itself  with  great  valor,  and, 


^>f>  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

in  fact,  defeated  the  enemy,  when  for  some  unaccountable  rea 
son,  Col.  H.  C.  Lester  decided  to  surrender,  and  he  exerted 
such  a  great  influence  over  our  officers  that  seven  company 
commanders  went  over  to  his  side  in  the  council  of  war, 
which  he  called,  while  the  remaining  officers  and  the  soldiers 
were  strongly  opposed  to  the  capitulation.  When  the  men 
finally  were  ordered  to  stack  arms  they  did  so  with  tears  in 
their  eyes,  complaining  bitterly  because  they  were  not  al 
lowed  to  fight  any  longer.  All  the  officers  who  had  been  in 
favor  of  capitulation  were  afterward  dismissed  from  service 
in  disgrace. 

Arriving  at  Nashville  I  was  immediately  ordered  to  assume 
command  of  my  own  scattered  regiment,  of  the  Ninth  Mich 
igan  Infantry  regiment,  and  of  a  battery  of  artillery,  which 
had  also  capitulated  on  that  fatal  Sunday.  Having  supplied 
the  men  with  clothing  and  other  necessaries,  I  took  them 
by  steamboats  to  a  camp  for  prisoners  in  St.  Louis,  and  re 
turned  to  Nashville  to  report  the  matter  in  person.  On  my 
return  to  Nashville  I  was  appointed  member  of  a  general 
court  martial,  and  shortly  afterwards  its  president,  which 
position  I  occupied  from  July  till  December,  1862.  The  suffer 
ings  which  my  friend  Captain  Eustrom  had  endured  during 
his  flight  from  the  rebels  shattered  his  health  so  that  he  was 
soon  forced  to  retire  from  service. 

About  this  time  the  well-known  Indian  massacre  in  the 
western  settlements  of  Minnesota  took  place.  About  eight 
hundred  peaceable  citizens,  mostly  women  and  children,  and 
among  those  many  Scandinavians — were  cruelly  butchered, 
and  their  houses  and  property  burnt  and  destroyed.  The 
soldiers  of  the  Third  regiment  had  given  their  parole  not  to 
take  up  arms  against  the  enemy  until  they  were  properly  ex 
changed,  but,  as  this  did  not  have  anything  to  do  with  the 
Indian  war,  they  were  ordered  from  St.  Louis  to  Minnesota 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  67 

and  put  under  the  command  of  Major  Welch,  of  the  Fourth 
regiment,  and  soon  distinguished  themselves  by  their  fine 
maneuvers  and  valor  in  the  struggle  with  the  Indians. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Events  of  1863— The  Siege  of  Vicksburg— Anecdotes  about  Gens.  Logan, 
Stevenson  and  Grant— Little  Rock  Captured— Recruiting  at  Fort  Snel- 
ling— The  engagement  at  Fitzhugh's  Woods— Pine  Bluff— Winter  Quar 
ters  at  Duvall's  Bluff— Death  of  Lincoln— Close  of  the  War— The 
Third  Regiment  Disbanded. 


In  the  month  of  December  the  officers  were  exchanged  and 
ordered  back  to  Fort  Snelling,  to  where  the  enlisted  men  had 
also  returned  from  the  Indian  war.  In  January,  1863,  we 
again  left  Minnesota  for  the  South.  The  whole  of  this  win 
ter  and  the  beginning  of  spring  were  devoted  to  expeditions 
against  guerillas  and  Confederate  recruiting  camps  in  south 
ern  Tennessee.  Most  of  this  time  I  commanded  the  regi 
ment,  four  companies  of  which  were  mounted.  We  had  to 
procure  horses  as  best  we  could,  here  and  there  through  the 
country.  We  had  many  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  and  cap 
tured  a  number  of  prisoners. 

In  the  beginning  of  June  we  joined  the  forces  that  were  be 
sieging  Yicksburg  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Grant,  and 
remained  there  until  that  city  had  capitulated.  The  siege  of 
Vicksburg  is  so  well  known  from  history  that  I  shall  make 
no  attempt  to  describe  it  here.  For  five  consecutive  weeks 
the  cannonading  was  so  incessant  that  the  soldiers  became 
as  accustomed  to  it  as  the  passengers  on  a  steamer  to  the 
noise  of  the  propeller,  and,  when  the  capitulation  finally  pu* 
an  end  to  all  this  noise,  we  found  it  very  difficult  to  sleep  for 
several  nights  on  account  of  the  unusual  silence. 

—  68  — 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  69 

The  July  number  of  Hemlandet,  contained  a  letter  from 
me,  dated  Yicksburg,  June  24th,  from  which  I  make  the  fol 
lowing  extract:  -f- 

"The  army  of  Gen.  Grant  is  divided  into  two  Grand  Divisions,  one  of 
which  is  arranged  in  a  semi-circle  toward  Vicksburg,  only  a  few  hundred 
yards  from  the  intrenchments  of  the  rebels,  the  other  in  a  semi-circle  turned 
away  from  Vicksburg,  and  fronting  the  army  of  Gen.  Johnston.  We  are  aft 
protected  by  strong  intrenchments,  and  always  keep  over  two  thousand 
men  as  picket  guards,  and  the  same  number  are  digging  rifle  pits  and  build 
ing  intrenchments. 

"Gen.  Logan's  Division  is  close  up  to  the  intrenchments  of  the  rebels. 
The  Swedish  Maj.  Stohlbrand  is  chief  of  artillery  in  Logan's  Division,  and, 
has,  as  such,  under  his  special  charge  one  of  the  most  important  positions 
in  the  beleaguering  army. 

"I  visited  Gen.  Logan  yesterday,  and  will  relate  a  little  episode  concern 
ing  this  brave  commander:  When  Gen.  Logan  heard  that  I  was  a  Swede, 
and  wished  to  see  Maj.  Stohlbrand,  who  had  just  ridden  out  to  look  after  his 
batteries,  the  general,  being  always  full  of  fun,  assumed  a  very  solemn  air, 
and  said:  'Too  bad  you  did  not  come  an  hour  sooner,  for  then  you  could 
have  seen  Stohlbrand.  There'— and  he  went  to  the  door  of  his  tent  and 
pointed  across  the  camp  ground — 'there  is  the  tent  of  Maj.  Stohlbrand. 
Half  an  hour  ago  a  bomb  exploded  from  the  main  fort  yonder.  Poor  Stohl 
brand  !  Only  a  few  remnants  were  left  of  the  contents  of  his  tent.  Poor 
Stohlbrand !  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  see  the  remains?' 

"Accompanied  by  Gens.  Stevenson,  Ransom,  and  several  other  officers,  I 
followed  Gen.  Logan  to  the  tent  of  Stohlbrand.  Then  Logan  said:  'Out 
of  respect  for  poor  Stohlbrand  we  have  put  everything  in  order  again. 
Here  you  see  his  camp  stool,  there  his  uniform,  and  there  is  his  little  field  cot.' 
The  bed  looked  as  if  a  dead  body  was  lying  on  it,  covered  by  a  blanket. 
Logan  walked  solemnly  up  to  the  head  of  the  bed,  lifted  the  blanket,  and 
behold,  there  was  only  a  bundle  of  rags!  The  rest  of  us,  of  course,  sup 
posed  that  Stohlbrand  was  dead,  and  that  his  corpse  was  lying  on  the  bed. 
This  little  joke  made  the  humorous  Logan  laugh  so  that  his  whole  body 
shook. 

"As  to  the  Swedes  in  the  army,  I  may  mention  that,  besides  our  Company 
D,  there  are  in  the  same  division  the  company  of  Capt.  Arosenius  of  the 
Forty-third  Illinois  regiment,  and  that  of  Capt.  Corneliuson  of  the 
Twenty-third  Wisconsin  regiment,  and  a  number  of  Swedes  of  the  other 
regiments  from  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  and  of  the  Fourth  and  Fifth  Minne 
sota  regiments.  Old  Company  D  is  a  model,  as  usual, — the  best  one  I  have 
seen  yet.  Both  officers  and  men  are  quiet,  orderly,  cheerlul  and  obedient, 
always  faithful  at  their  post,  and  ready  to  go  wherever  duty  calls  them. 
They  are  loved  and  respected  by  all  who  come  in  contact  with  them.  When 


70  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

I  feel  sad  or  despondent,  all  I  need  do  is  to  walk  along  the  camp  street 
and  take  a  look  at  some  of  my  old  Scandinavians.  Their  calm  and  earnest 
demeanor  always  makes  me  glad  and  proud.  I  ask  for  no  greater  honor 
than  to  point  them  out  to  some  stranger,  saying:  'This  is  my  old 
company.' 

"Not  these  alone,  however,  but  all  of  my  countrymen  whom  I  met  in 
the  army  have  a  good  name,  and  are  considered  most  reliable  and  able 
soldiers." 

I  shall  now  relate  a  couple  of  anecdotes  from  the  siege  of 
Yicksburg,  which  I  did  not  mention  in  the  letter  to  Hem- 
landet. 


GRANT'S  HEADQUARTERS. 

Outside  Gen.  Logan's  tent  stood  a  big  magnolia  tree. 
While  laughing  at  Logan's  joke  Gen.  Stevenson  picked  up  a 
little  stick  of  wood  and  whittled  on  it  with  his  penknife,  in 
genuine  Yankee  fashion.  Accidently  he  dropped  his  knife, 
and,  -while  stooping  down  to  pick  it  up,  a  fragment  of  a 
shell  from  the  rebel  batteries  came  and  went  two  inches  deep 
into  the  tree  right  where  his  head  had  been  when  he  was 
whittling.  He  coolly  remarked,  "  That  piece  of  iron  was  not 
•wade  for  me." 

One  day  as  I,  in  company  with  Lieut.  Col.  (afterward 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  71 

Gen.)  C.  C.  Andrews,  was  visiting  Gen.  Grant  outside  of 
Vicksburg,  a  wagon  drawn  by  six  mules  passed  close  by  his 
headquarters.  The  driver,  an  old,  rough-looking  soldier, 


ARMY    WAGON. 


stopped,  and  asked  the  way  to  a  certain  regiment.  Gen. 
Grant's  tent  stood  on  a  little  elevation,  at  the  foot  of  which 
were  several  fresh  wagon  tracks.  A  number  of  officers,  in 
cluding  myself,  were  standing  and  sitting  around  the  general 
outside  the  tent.  Gen.  Grant,  who  was  dressed  in  a  fatigue 
suit  and  slouched  hat,  without  other  marks  of  distinction 
than  three  small  silver  stars,  which  could  scarcely  be  distin 
guished  on  his  dusty  blouse,  went  toward  the  driver  and, 
with  the  most  minute  particulars,  gave  him  directions  how 
to  drive.  While  he  was  talking,  we  observed  that  the  driver 
showed  signs  of  deep  emotion,  and  finally  he  alighted  from 
the  mule,  which  he  was  riding,  stretched  out  his  arms,  and, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  exclaimed:  "Aiy  God!  I  believe  it  is 
Gen.  Grant!  General,  do  you  remember  Tommy  Donald? 
I  was  a  soldier  in  your  company  during  the  Mexican  war !  " 
With  touching  kindness  the  great  commander-in-chief  now 
took  both  hands  of  the  ragged  soldier  in  his,  and,  like  old 
friends  who  had  not  met  for  a  long  time,  they  rejoiced  in 
remembering  the  companionship  of  fifteen  years  before. 

When  Gen.  Grant  returned  to  the  tent  the  conversation 
turned    to  the  newspaper  clamor  and    general  discontent 


72 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


because  Vicksburg  was  not  yet  taken,  upon  which  the  gen 
eral  expressed  himself  in  the  following  words :  "  I  could  make 
another  assault  and  hasten  the  capture  a  few  days,  but  will 
not  do  it  because  I  know  positively  that  within  ten  days  the 
garrison  must  surrender  anyhow,  for  I  have  got  them,  and 
will  take  them  all.  Let  them  howl.  I  don't  care.  I  have 
got  Pemberton  tight  as  wax."  Saying  which,  he  closed  his 
right  hand  and  laid  it  on  the  little  camp  table  with  such 
force  that  I  noticed  the  veins  filling  and  turning  blue  on  the 
back  of  his  hand.  These  two  little  incidents  give  a  key  to 
Gen.  Grant's  whole  character,  and  the  secret  of  his  unpar 
alleled  success,  not  only  in  winning  battles,  but  in  bagging 
the  entire  opposing  force. 

A  w^eek  later  Vicksburg  fell  into  our  hands.  We  took 
thirty-two  thousand  prisoners,  fifteen  generals,  two  thou 
sand  other  officers,  and  nearly  two  hundred  cannon. 


GENERALS    GRANT    AND    PEMBERTON. 

About  a  week  after  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg  the  Third 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  73 

regiment  was  transferred  to  the  Seventh  army  corps,  under 
the  command  of  Gen.  Fred.  Steele,  and  took  part  in  the  cam 
paign  against  Little  Rock.  In  the  beginning  of  September, 
when  we  were  only  ten  miles  from  Little  Rock,  otir  regiment 
enjoyed  the  distinction  of  marching  at  the  head  of  the  infant 
ry  column.  We  came  upon  the  Confederate  batteries  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Arkansas  river,  where  a  brisk  cannonade 
was  opened.  This  combat  afforded  the  most  beautiful  sight 
imaginable,  if  carnage  and  slaughter  may  be  called  beautiful. 
We  stood  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  the  Confederates 
on  the  west.  The  water  being  very  low,  a  steamer  had  been 
grounded  about  an  eighth  of  a  mile  above  us,  and  near  the 
steamer  the  water  was  so  shallow  that  the  cavalry  could 
ford  the  river ;  but  just  in  front  of  the  Third  regiment  the 
water  was  so  deep  that  we  had  to  throw  a  pontopn  bridge 
for  the  infantry. 

Our  regiment  was  stationed  in  a  cornfield  near  the  river 
bank  to  cover  the  march  across  the  bridge,  and  the  soldiers 
were  ordered  to  lie  down  on  the  ground.  But  we  found  it 
very  difficult  to  make  them  obey,  for,  in  their  eagerness  to 
cross  the  river,  they  felt  more  like  rushing  ahead  and  shout 
ing  for  joy.  Many  shots  from  the  Confederate  batteries 
passed  over  our  heads,  so  low  that  the  soldiers,  in  a  sporting 
mood,  jumped  up  and  grabbed  with  their  hands  in  the  air, 
as  if  trying  to  catch  them.  In  less  than  an  hour  the  bridge 
across  the  deep  channel  was  ready.  A  cavalry  brigade  had 
meanwhile  mcfved  up  to  the  ford  above,  and  now  the  signa] 
for  crossing  was  given.  The  Confederates  set  fire  to  the 
steamer,  which  they  were  unable  to  save. 

It  was  about  noon  on  one  of  those  glorious  autumn  days 
peculiar  to  this  country,  which  greatly  enhanced  the  impres 
sion  of  the  sublime  spectacle  then  to  be  seen  on  the  Arkansas 
river.  The  burning  steamer  reddening  the  atmosphere  with 
brilliant  flames  of  fire,  a  long  line  of  cavalry  fording  the 


74  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

shallow  river  in  three  files,  the  infantry  marching  by  the 
flank  over  the  pontoon  from  which  they  jumped  into  the 
water,  forming  on  double-quick,  first  companies,  then  bat 
talion,  whereupon  they  marched  cheerily,  in  knee-deep  water, 
under  flying  banners  and  to  the  beat  of  regimental  music, 
while  the  air  was  filled  with  shells  and  balls.  Before  the 
infantry  had  reached  the  woods  where  the  batteries  of  the 
enemy  were  hidden,  the  latter  was  already  in  retreat,  and 
Little  Rock  soon  fell  into  our  hands. 

On  our  march  into  the  captured  city  the  next  morning,  the 
Third  regiment  was  again  accorded  .the  place  of  honor  at  the 
head  of  the  army.  It  was  designated  to  act  as  provost- 
guard  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  order,  and  the  whole 
regiment  was  soon  quartered  in  the  state  capitol.  Gen. 
C.  C.  Andrews,  who  held  the  position  of  colonel  at  that 
time,  was  appointed  post  commander  at  Little  Rock,  and  I, 
who  had  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel 
soon  after  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  took  command  of  the 
regiment,  whereby  it  became  my  duty  to  maintain  law  and 
order  in  the  captured  city.  This  was  an  onerous  and  diffi 
cult  task,  for  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  only  executive 
authority  in  the  southern  states  during  the  war  was  vested 
in  the  army,  and  especially  delegated  to  the  provost  officers 
and  guards.  The  third  regiment  was  occupied  with  this 
task  until  the  following  spring,  and  performed  its  duty  so 
well  that  the  governor  of  Arkansas,  in  a  message,  expressed 
himself  regarding  it,  in  the  following  language : 

"During  the  time  of  their  service  in  our  capital  good  order 
has  prevailed,  and  they  have  commanded  the  respect  of  our 
citizens.  When  called  upon  to  meet  the  enemy  they  have 
proven  themselves  equal  to  any  task,  and  reliable  in  the  hour 
of  imminent  danger.  Such  men  are  an  honor  to  our  govern 
ment  and  the  cause  which  they  serve.  Their  state  may  justly 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  75 

feel  proud  of  them,  and  they  will  prove  themselves  to  be 
worthy  sons  of  the  same  wherever  duty  calls  them." 

Toward  Christmas  I  was  ordered  to  Fort  Snelling,  with 
a  detachment  of  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers,  for 
the  purpose  of  recruiting  our  decimated  ranks.  I  remained 
on  this  duty  till  the  month  of  Margh,  and  then  returned 
with  four  hundred  recruits.  Shortly  afterwards  the  battle 
of  Fitzhugh's  Woods,  near  Augusta,  Arkansas,  was  fought, 
and  the  regiment  distinguished  itself  by  very  gallant  con 
duct.  During  the  stay  in  Little  Rock  most  of  the  soldiers 
had  re-enlisted  for  three  years,  or  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
whereby  we  acquired  the  title  of  "Veteran  Regiment."  But 
that  was  not  the  only  distinction  which  was  conferred  on 
our  men.  A  large  number  of  young  soldiers  had  been  pro 
moted  from  the  ranks  to  be  officers  in  several  negro  regi 
ments,  which  were  organized  in  Tennessee  and  Arkansas, 
and  some  as  officers  of  new  regiments  of  our  own  state. 
Col.  Andrews  had  meanwhile  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general,  and,  in  April,  1864,  I  was  promoted  to 
colonel  of  the  regiment  in  his  place,  and  was  shortly  after 
ward  ordered  to  march  with  its  eight  hundred  men  to  Pine 
Bluff,  on  the  Arkansas  river. 

From  this  time  until  the  beginning  of  August  the  regiment 
experienced  such  hardships  and  sufferings  from  diseases  and 
hard  service,  that  it  sustained  far  greater  losses  from  these 
causes  than  any  other  regiment  from  our  state  had  met  with 
in  open  battle.  Pine  Bluff  was  a  veritable  pest-hole;  the 
water  was  of  a  greenish  color,  the  air  full  of  germs  of  dis 
ease  and  poisonous  vapors.  Continually  surrounded  and 
threatened  by  a  vigilant  enemy,  the  exhausted  and  sickly 
soldiers  had  to  get  up  at  three  o'clock  every  morning  for  the 
purpose  of  working  at  the  entrenchments  and  strengthening 
and  protecting  our  position  in  different  ways.  Meanwhile 
the  number  of  those  fit  for  duty  was  daily  decreasing  at  an 


76  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

appalling  rate.  The  hospitals  were  overcrowded  with  pa 
tients,  and  the  few  men  left  for  duty  were  continually  occu 
pied  in  caring  for  the  sick  and  burying  the  dead,  until  there 

*  were  not  men  enough  left  to  bury  their  dead  comrades,  and 

*  I  was  obliged  to  ask  a  regiment,  which  had  recently  arrived, 
;.  to  help  us  perform  that  sad  duty. 

xt     At  this  critical  moment  I  received  orders  from  Washington 
to  take  six  companies  to  Minnesota,  on  a  six  weeks'  veteran 

*  furlough,  to  which  the  regiment  was  entitled.     Those  went 
who  were  able  to.    Many  died  on  the  way,  but  those  of  us 
who  survived  until  we  reached  Minnesota  were  soon  restored 
to  usual  health  and  strength,  so  that  we  could  return  in  due 
time  and  again  take  part  in  the  campaign  in  Arkansas.    The 
remaining  four  companies,  which  had  been  furloughed  the 
previous  winter,  were  ordered  from  Pine  Bluff  to  Duvall's 
Bluff,  on  White  river,  where  the  whole  regiment   was  re 
united  under  my  command  in  the  beginning  of  October,  and 
remained  in  winter  quarters  until  the  spring  of  1865. 

Shortly  after  our  return  to  Arkansas  1  assumed  command 
of  the  First  Brigade,  First  Division,  Seventh  army  corps. 
This  brigade  consisted  of  my  own  regiment,  the  Twelfth  Mich 
igan,  the  Sixty-first  Illinois,  and  a  United  States  colored 
regiment.  Our  prospects  for  remaining  in  winter  quarters 
for  several  months  being  favorable,  many  of  the  higher  offi 
cers  sent  for  their  wives.  I  did  the  same,  having  first 
erected  a  comfortable  log  house  for  us.  My  wife  and  two 
little  children  arrived  a  few  days  before  Christmas,  and 
stayed  in  the  camp  the  whole  winter.  No  important  event 
took  place  during  the  winter,  excepting  that  we  were  once 
ordered  to  make  an  expedition  up  White  river,  with  a  con 
siderable  force  of  cavalry  and  infantry,  and,  after  a  fatiguing 
march,  succeeded  in  breaking  up  a  camp  of  irregular  Confed 
erate  troops,  and  taking  many  prisoners. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


77 


I  will  relate  two  incidents  which  took  place  near  Duvall's 
Bluff,  one  of  a  serious,  the  other  of  a  comic  nature. 

The  first  was  the  shooting  of  a  young  soldier  of  the 
Twenty-second  Ohio  regiment,  who  time  and  again  had  de 
serted  his  post,  and  finally  joined  a  band  of  rebel  marauders. 
It  became  my  sad  duty  to  execute  the  sentence  of  death.  My 
brigade  formed  a  hollow  square,  facing  inward,  and  the 
doomed  man,  a  strong,  handsome  youth  of  twenty  years, 
sat  on  a  coffin  in  an  open  ambulance,  which  was  driven 
slowly  along  the  inside  of  the  square,  while  a  band  marched 
in  front  of  the  wagon  playing  a  funeral  march.  After  the 
completion  of  this  sad  march  the  deserter  was  placed  in  the 
middle  of  the  square,  in  front  of  the  coffin,  with  his  eyes 
blind-folded.  A  detachment  of  twelve  men  under  a  ser 
geant  now  fired  simultaneously,  upon  the  signal  of  the  pro 
vost  marshal.  Eight  rifles  were  loaded  with  balls,  and  the 
unfortunate  young  man  fell  backwards  into  his  coffin  and 
died  without  a  struggle. 


SHOOTING  A  DESERTER. 

One  day  while  taking  a  ride  on  horseback  in  company  with 


7g  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

my  wife,  who  had  a  fine  saddle  horse,  and  had  become  an 
expert  rider  during  her  long  stay  in  the  camp,  we  galloped 
mile  after  mile  along  the  fine  plain,  outside  of  the  picket- 
lines  where  men  of  my  own  brigade  were  on  guard,  till  at 
last  we  found  ourselves  several  miles  from  the  place  where 
WTC  had  passed  through  our  lines.  Returning  toward  camp, 
we  struck  the  picket  line  at  a  point  where  a  recently  arrived 
regiment  was  stationed,  and  where  the  ground  was  soft  and 
marshy.  Being  challenged  by  the  guard  I  answered  who  I 
was,  but  as  he  could  not  plainly  distinguish  my  uniform  in 
the  twilight  and  did  not  know  me  personally,  he  ordered  us, 
with  leveled  gun,  to  stand  still  until  he  could  call  the  officer 
of  the  guard.  It  was  no  easy  matter  to  obey  his  orders, 
for  the  horses  continually  sank  down  in  the  soft  ground,  but 
finally  the  officer  arrived,  and  we  succeeded  in  getting  to 
the  camp  without  further  trouble.  I  was  not  the  first  officer 
who  thus  got  into  trouble  by  neglecting  to  write  out  a  pass 
for  himself. 

On  a  fine  April  day,  which  can  never  be  forgotten,  the  news 
came  that  our  president,  Abraham  Lincoln,  had  been  mur 
dered.  Stricken  with  consternation  I  hurried  down  to  the 
Third  regiment  in  person  to  tell  the  sad  news.  Never,  either 
before  or  since,  have  I  witnessed  such  a  scene  as  the  one  that 
followed.  Some  of  the  men  went  completely  wild  with  sor 
row,  weather-beaten  veterans,  embracing  each  other,  wept 
aloud,  others  swore  and  cursed.  In  the  prison  yard,  which  was 
guarded  by  men  belonging  to  my  regiment,  a  rebel  prisoner 
took  off  his  cap,  waived  it  in  the  air  and  cried,  "Hurrah  for 
Booth !  "  A  man  by  the  name  of  Stark  immediately  loaded 
his  gun  and  shot  the  rebel  dead  on  the  spot.  Many  others, 
both  inside  and  outside  the  camp,  were  shot  because  they 
expressed  joy  at  the  death  of  Lincoln.  Passions  were 
strong,  and  all  tolerance  and  patience  exhausted  among  the 
Onion  soldiers  on  that  occasion.  The  main  army  of  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  •     79 

Confederates  had  already  surrendered  when  this  calamity 
occurred,  and  the  war  was  in  fact  over.  A  few  days  after 
ward  we  sent  our  families  home. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Reconstruction  in  the  South  — Third  Regiment  Mustered  Out  — The  Fare- 
well  Order — Sacrifices  and  Costs  of  the  War. 


A  very  important  work  still  remained  to  be  accomplished 
by  the  union  army,  namely,  the  restoration  of  law  and 
order  in  the  southern  states.  I  had  the  honor  to  be  entrusted 
with  a  portion  of  that  work,  an  account  of  which  was  given 
in  a  paper  prepared  and  read  by  me  before  the  commandery 
of  the  military  order  Loyal  Legion,  at  one  of  its  meetings  in 
St.  Paul,  in  March,  1889,  from  which  I  quote  as  follows: 

"After  listening  to  the  many  interesting  addresses  on  bat 
tles  and  campaigns  that  have  been  read  before  the  com 
mandery  at  our  monthly  meetings,  I  fear  that  you  will  be 
disappointed,  not  only  with  the  subject  of  this  paper,  but 
also  with  the  commonplace  incidents  which  I  have  to  relate, 
and  yet  I  think  that  the  part  taken  by  the  Union  army  in 
the  so-called  reconstruction  of  civil  government  in  the  rebel 
lious  states  immediately  after  the  war  deserves  a  place  in  the 
history  of  that  army  and  of  the  war.  All  the  world  knows 
how  bravely  our  soldiers  fought,  how  willingly  they  endured 
hardships  of  the  camp  and  of  the  wearisome  march,  how 
patiently  they  bore  sickness,  wounds,  and  sufferings  of  every 
kind,  and  how  faithfully  they  obeyed  the  orders  of  advance 
to  danger  and  to  death.  But  there  is  still  another  trait  of 
their  character,  perhaps  the  greatest  of  them  all,  that  of  the 
good  citizen,  who  was  able,  as  soon  as  the  last  smoke  of 
battle  had  cleared  away,  to  restrain  all  feelings  of  enmity 

—  80  — 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  81 

and  revenge,  to  take  the  enemy  by  the  hand,  to  guide,  help, 
and  protect  him  and  his  in  all  the  rights  of  citizenship,  and 
it  is  of  that  I  would  relate  some  facts  that  came  under  my 
own  observation  and  experience. 

"  Having  been  stationed  at  Du  vall's  Bluff,  Arkansas,  in  com 
mand  of  a  brigade,  of  which  my  own  regiment,  the  Third 
Minnesota  infantry,  formed  a  part,  I  received  orders  from 
Maj.  Gen.  J.  J.  Reynolds,  commanding  the  Department  of 
Arkansas,  on  the  15th  of  May,  1865,  to  establish  a  military 
post  at  Batesville,  Arkansas,  on  the  upper  White  river,  and 
to  take  command  of  a  district  comprising  the  north-eastern 
portion  of  that  state.  The  field  organization  of  the  Seventh 
army  corps,  to  which  we  belonged,  was  being  broken  up. 
Some  of  the  regiments  were  sent  home  to  be  mustered  out  of 
service;  others  were  sent  to  different  points  for  purposes  of 
occupation.  My  own  regiment  and  two  squadrons  of  the 
Ninth  Kansas  Cavalry  were  detailed  for  the  work  given  in 
my  charge. 

"On  the  18th  of  May  we  embarked  on  steam  transports, 
and  reached  Batesville  on  the  20th.  A  few  days  later  my  post 
headquarters  was  established  at  Jacksonport,  and  the 
troops  were  distributed  at  different  points  with  one  or  two 
companies  for  each,  at  Batesville,  Searcy,  Augusta,  Powhat- 
an;  and  the  main  force  at  Jacksonport,  from  which  point 
frequent  cavalry  patrols  were  sent  to  the  outlying  stations, 

"The  topography  of  that  country  is  very  irregular  and 
unique.  The  eastern  portion,  bordering  upon  the  Missis 
sippi,  is  flat  and  marshy,  with  many  lakes  and  bayous,  and  has 
a  rich,  alluvial  soil.  The  other  portion  is  very  broken,  with 
hills  and  mountain  ridges,  rocks,  caves  and  beautiful  streams, 
but  poor  soil.  The  lowlands  had  been  occupied  by  wealthy 
slave  owners,  whose  sympathies  were  strong  for  the  South 
ern  cause.  The  highlands  were  occupied  by  the  poorer  class, 
onlv  a  few  of  whom  had  owned  slaves  Mnnv  of  this  class 


82  STORY  OF  AN   EMIGRANT. 

were  strong  Union  men,  and'  soldiers  in  the  Union  army. 
During  the  great  struggle  of  four  years  many  bloody  trag 
edies  had  been  enacted  between  the  loyal  and  the  rebel  resi 
dents,  and  bitter  feelings  of  revenge  still  rankled  in  the 
,  breasts  of  the  survivors.  During  the  whole  period  of  the 
war  the  country  had  been  swept  clean,  at  rapid  intervals, 
by  both  armies  alternately,  and  each  time  new  atrocities 
had  been  perpetrated,  and  all  the  worst  passions  of  the  peo 
ple  rekindled.  It  had  also  been  a  place  of  refuge  for  the 
worst  rebel  elements  in  southern  Missouri,  when  too  hardly 
pressed  by  our  friend  Gen.  Sanborn*  and  other  Union  com 
manders.  At  the  time  of  our  arrival  the  surviving  soldiers 
from  both  armies  were  returning  to  their  homes,  also  many 
refugees, — rebels  from  Texas  and  Union  men  from  the  North, 
•—most  of  them  to  find  their  families  destitute  and  their 
property  destroyed. 

"The  irregular  Confederate  troops  under  Gen.  Jeff.  Thomp 
son,  numbering  some  eight  thousand  men,  had  not  yet  sur 
rendered,  but  were  scattered  over  the  district  in  a  thoroughly 
demoralized  condition,  so  that  the  whole  situation  was 
rather  peculiar  and  very  bad,  and  it  was  a  difficult  task  to 
prevent  fresh  outbreaks,  and  to  restore  order  and  get  the 
people  started  anew  in  the  peaceful  avocations  of  life. 

"My  instructions  were  to  preserve  law  and  order,  to  organ 
ize  and  arm  companies  of  home  colonists  for  self-protection, 
to  encourage  agriculture  and  commerce,  and  to  assist  the 
citizens  in  restoring  civil  government.  The  men  under  my 
command  during  the  early  reconstruction  period  had  cer 
tainly  no  reason  to  love  Arkansas,  because  they  had  not  only 
buried  their  best  friends  and  comrades  within  its  borders, 
but  had  themselves  for  months  and  months  experienced  there 
that  dreadfu1  suffering  most  feared  by  all  soldiers,  and  for 
which  few  receive  any  credit, — namely,  the  inglorious  priva- 

*Gen.  John  B.  Sanborn,  who  was  present  when  this  paper  was  read. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  g3 

tion  of  the  silent  watch, — in  the  swamp,  in  the  trenches,  in 
the  hospital,  on  the  camp-stretcher,  and  in  the  ambu 
lance, — when  tired,  sore,  sick,  thirsty,  lonely,  and  seem 
ingly  forsaken  by  God  and  man,  unknown  and  with  praise 
unsung,  with  no  cheering  sound  of  drum  or  bugle,  no  battle 
flag  or  cheer  in  sight  or  hearing,  no  voice  of  comrades  or  of 
guns,  and  no  magic  touch  of  elbows  or  shouts  of  victory. 
These  men  had  experienced  all  that,  and  had  no  special  rea 
son  to  sympathize  with  the  inhabitants  who  had  done  their 
full  share  to  bring  them  into  so  much  misery.  And  now 
observe  how  they  treated  those  inhabitants.  Immediately 
on  arriving  at  Batesville  the  following  order  was  promul 
gated,  and,  by  the  aid  of  an  old  printing  press  and  swift 
couriers,  scattered  all  over  the  district : 

'  HEADQUARTERS  U.  S.  FORCES, 
'BATESVILLE,  ARK.,  May  22,  1865. 
'General  Order  No.  1. 

'  I.  It  is  hereby  announced  to  the  people  of  Batesville  and  surrounding 
country  that  the  chief  object  of  the  federal  occupation  of  this  place  is  their 
protection  against  armed  forces,  of  whatever  kind,  to  give  encouragement 
to  agriculture  and  other  peaceful  pursuits,  and  to  restore  commercial  inter 
course. 

1 II.  The  public  safety  and  mutual  interests  demand  that  all  persons  liv 
ing  within  our  lines  and  enjoying  the  protection  of  the  nation's  forces  shall 
declare  their  obedience  to  the  government. 

'III.  It  is  ordered,  therefore,  that  all  persons  now  living  or  hereafter 
coming  within  our  picket-lines  who  have  not  taken  but  desire  to  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance,  with  the  purpose  of  restoring  and  establishing  the 
'national  authority,  shall  register  their  names  without  delay  in  the  provost 
marshal's  office,  where  the  oath  will  be  administered. 
'  By  order  of 

'CoL.  H.  MATTSON,  Commanding. 
P.  E.  FOLSOM,  Lieutenant  and  Post  Adjutant.' 

"On  the  same  day  a  beginning  was  made  to  organize  com 
panies  of  home  colonists  among  the  great  number  of  Union 
refugees  who  had  followed  the  troops  to  Batesville.  Arms 
and  ammunition  were  placed  in  their  hands,  and  the  follow 
ing  instruction  given: 


84  STUKY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

'HEADQUARTERS  U.  S.  FORCES, 
•BATESVILLE,  ARK.,  May  22,  1865. 

To  the  members  of  Companies  of  Home  Colonists : 

'You  -will,  as  soon  as  practicable,  depart  with  your  families  to  your 
several  homes,  and  there  proceed  to  cultivate  the  land  and  secure  a  crop  for 
the  coming  year. 

'The  arms  and  ammunition  with  which  you  have  now  been  furnished  by 
the  government  of  the  United  States  are  for  the  pi  ot action  of  yourselves 
and  families,  and  for  no  other  purpose. 

'The  laws  of  your  state  guarantee  you  full  redress  for  private  injuries; 
you  will  therefore  leave  all  disputes  and  wrongs  to  be  settled  by  them  and 
by  the  military  authority  of  the  United  States,  and  it  is  only  against  the 
armed  force  of  marauders  that  you  will  resort  to  the  use  of  these  arms ; 
remember,  always,  that  you  are  not  soldiers,  but  citizens. 

'You  will  promptly  report  to  your  own  officers  and  to  the  military 
commander  of  this  post  any  information  you  may  obtain  of  armed  forces 
of  marauders ;  and  in  case  of  emergency  you  are  authorized  to  act  as  a 
military  body  in  pursuing  them.  The  commanding  officer  will  always 
extend  to  you  aid,  both  in  men  and  subsistence,  so  far  as  lies  in  his  power, 
but  you  must,  like  free  and  independent  citizens,  place  yourselves,  by 
industrious  labor,  as  soon  as  possible,  beyond  the  necessity  of  federal 
support. 

'Let  your  conduct  among  your  late  enemies  be  such  as  will  elicit  their 
friendship. 

'  By  assisting  me  to  carry  out  the  magnanimous  policy  of  our  govern 
ment  you  will  soon  have  peace  and  security  restored  to  your  commu 
nity,  and  happiness  and  plenty  to  yourselves  and  your  families. 
"By  order  of 

'  COL.  H.  MATTSON,  Commanding. 

'P.  E.  FOLSOM,  Lieutenant  and  Post  Adjutant.' 

"In  a  remarkably  short  time  the  news  of  the  policy  thus 
announced  spread  to  the  most  remote  parts  of  the  district, 
and  had  a  very  beneficial  effect.  It  inspired  hope  and  confi 
dence  everywhere.  The  disloyal  people  came  out  of  their 
hiding  places,  and,  with  apparent  sincerity  and  gratitude, 
took  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  went  to  work  as  good  citi 
zens  to  perform  their  part  in  the  work  of  reconstruction. 
Union  men  and  rebels  shook  hands  over  the  bloody  chasm, 
and  agreed  to  bury  the  past  and  work  together  for  a  better 
future. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  85 

"Soon  another  class  of  people  came  in  large  numbers  to 
seek  help  and  protection  from  the  Union  forces.  It  was  the 
poverty-stricken  old  men,  and  the  women  and  children  who 
had  lost  their  natural  protectors.  It  was  a  sight  sad  enough 
to  move  the  stoutest  hearts  to  look  at  their  helplessness  and 
misery,  and  I  never  had  a  more  pleasant  duty  to  perform 
than  that  of  relieving  their  wants  at  the  expense  of  our  gen 
erous  government.  The  department  commander  had  placed 
a  steamboat  at  my  disposal,  and  given  me  unlimited  power 
to  draw  on  the  commissary  stores  at  Duvall's  Bluff.  That 
steamer  made  regular  trips  with  supplies  for  all  who  were 
actually  in  need,  and  most  of  the  applicants  returned  to 
their  homes  with  plenty  of  flour,  bacon,  salt,  seed,  corn  and 
other  necessaries,  with  a  government  mule  sometimes 
thrown  in  to  carry  the  load  home,  and  there  was  no  distinc 
tion  made  between  rebels  and  Unionists,  except  that  the 
former  were  placed  on  their  good  behavior  as  to  their  future 
conduct.  It  was  in  this  work  that  our  soldiers, — officers 
and  men, — showed  without  exception,  that  trait  of  char 
acter  which  entitles  them  to  the  name  of  exemplary  citizens  as 
well  as  exemplary  soldiers,  which  they  had  previously  earned 
in  a  service  of  four  years.  They  never  forgot  that  the  con 
quered  inhabitants  were  our  own  people,  and  members  of 
the  same  great  republic. 

"  After  a  while  our  picket  lines  were  withdrawn,  and  only 
enough  guards  posted  to  take  care  of  the  public  property. 
Citizens  and  soldiers  mingled  freely  in  social  intercourse,  not 
as  conquerors  and  conquered,  but  as  friends  and  equals,  our 
men  interesting  themselves  in  everything  that  tended  to  the 
welfare  of  the  citizens,  often  helping  them  in  their  work  and 
business,  and  always  treating  the  helpless  with  gallantry 
and  tenderness.  On  the  Fourth  of  July  citizens  and  soldiers, 
ex-rebels  and  Union  men,  to  the  number  of  many  hundreds, 
met  under  the  stars  and  stripes,  in  a  lovely  grove,  to  celebrate 


S6  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

the  day  around  an  old-fashioned  barbecue,  and,  for  nearly 
two  days  and  a  night,  enjoyed  a  feast  of  brotherly  love  and 
good  will,  all  proud  of  the  old  banner,  and  happy  to  be 
again  united  as  one  people. 

"During  the  summer  elections  were  held  for  town  and 
county  officers,  and  as  soon  as  such  officers  had  qualified,  the 
soldiers,  even  more  readily  than  the  citizens  themselves,  did 
all  in  their  power  to  uphold  their  authority.  In  many  in 
stances  good  penmen  and  accountants  among  the  soldiers 
gave  their  services  gratuitously  to  help  the  newly-elected  civil 
officers  start  their  books  and  accounts.  To  the  honor  of  the 
rebels,  especially  the  returned  soldiers,  I  must  say  that  they 
behaved  in  a  most  exemplary  manner,  and  accepted  the  situa 
tion  with  good  grace  and  acted  most  cordially  and  loyally 
toward  us.  The  Freedmen's  Bureau  was  not  established 
in  that  district  during  my  time  of  command,  but  I  was  in 
formed  by  a  friend,  Maj.  J.  M.  Bowler,  who  had  com 
mand  the  following  winter,  that  the  planters  generally 
yielded  to  the  requirements  of  that  department  as  soon  as  it 
was  established;  that  they  made  fair  contracts  with  the  lib 
erated  slaves  and  strictly  and  carefully  observed  them,  and 
were  in  all  respects  considerate  toward  the  freedmen  gener 
ally.  Of  course,  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  all  the  citizens 
behaved  so  well.  There  were  exceptions,  even  in  the  first 
days  of  reconstruction,  and  those  exceptions  were  nearly  all 
by  the  men  who  had  never  faced  the  Union  soldiers  in  open 
battle,  but  had  either  skulked  or  resorted  to  guerilla  war 
fare.  But  I  do  mean  to  say  that  in  those  early  days,  before 
President  Johnson  had  began  to  show  his  final  hand,  the 
rebels  were  disposed  to  accept  the  situation  in  a  manly  and 
loyal  way,  and  that,  if  the  policy  inaugurated  by  the  Union 
army  had  been  adhered  to,  the  country  would  probably 
have  been  saved  from  the  Ku-Klux  and  other  horrors  of  a 
later  period. 


STORY  OF  AX  EMIGRANT.  87 

"One  strange  fact  was  deeply  impressed  upon  my  mind  dur 
ing  the  time  of  my  command  in  Northeastern  Arkansas, 
namely,  the  genuine  regret  and  sorrow  among  the  returning 
rebel  soldiers  over  President  Lincoln's  death.  They  not 
only  respected  him,  but  actually  regarded  him  as  a  friend, 
because  they  believed  him  to  be  kind  and  just;  so  that, 
whatever  measures  he  might  have  adopted,  had  he  lived, 
they  believed  that  they  could  have  submitted  to  them  with 
full  confidence  that  it  would  be  for  the  best.  I  can  not  better 
illustrate  that  feeling,  as  it  was  daily  manifested  to  me,  than 
by  comparing  it  to  the  faith  and  confidence  of  erring  chil 
dren  to  an  offended  but  loving  father. 

"The  most  noted  and  influential  rebel  in  the  district  at  that 
time  was,  undoubtedly,  Gen.  Jeff.  Thompson.  On  the  3d 
of  June  this  noted  general  arrived  at  my  headquarters  at  Jack- 
sonport,  pursuant  to  previous  arrangements,  to  surrender 
his  command,  consisting  of  eight  thousand  officers  and  men, 
who  began  to  crowd  in  on  that  and  the  following  day  in 
great  numbers.  They  were  the  hardest  looking  soldiers  I 
have  ever  seen.  Jeff.  Thompson  himself  was  a  man  of  com 
manding  appearance,  and  a  perfect  gentleman.  In  my  jour 
nal  of  that  day  I  have  described  him  as  follows:  'He  is  a 
tall,  sinewy,  weather-beaten  man,  a  queer  looking  genius, 
dressed  in  a  suit  of  snowy  white,  from  the  plume  in  his  hat 
to  the  heel  of  his  boot,  and  with  a  white  sword-belt  and 
white  gloves.  He  is  a  clever  chap,  full  of  fun,  telling  great 
yarns,  and  an  incessant  talker.'  I  should  judge  he  was 
about  forty -five  years  old.  On  the  third  day  after  his  arrival 
the  troops  had  all  assembled,  and  the  surrender  took  place 
in  due  form.  A  staff  officer  from  the  Department  of  Missouri 
and  another  from  the  Department  of  Arkansas  witnessed 
the  proceedings  and  received  the  documents^  When  all  was 
finished,  Jeff.  Thompson  had  his  men  assemble  on  the  levee 
in  front  of  a  steamboat,  from  the  cabin-deck  of  which  he 


SS  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

delivered  his  farewell  address.  I  stood  by  his  side  while  he 
spoke,  and  expected  every  moment  to  see  him  pierced  by 
some  well-directed  bullet  from  the  crowd  on  shore,  but  he 
was  allowed  to  finish  his  address  without  interruption,  after 
which  the  men  slunk  out  of  sight,  and  before  evening  the 
whole  motley  crowd  had  left  the  town  with  the  determina 
tion,  as  I  verily  believe,  to  follow  the  good  advice  of  their 
general.  The  address  deserves  a  place  among  our  papers, 
and  I  will  read  it,  as  it  appeared  a  few  weeks  later  in  Har 
per's  Magazine,  from  a  verbatim  report  made  by  one  of  my 
officers.  He  said : 

'  Many  of  the  eight  thousand  men  I  now  see  around  me,  very  many  of 
you,  have  been  skulking  for  the  last  three  years  in  the  swamps  within  a  few- 
miles  of  your  own  homes, — skulking  duty, — and  during  that  time  have  not 
seen  your  own  children.  I  see  many  faces  about  me  that  have  not  been 
seen  by  mortal  man  for  the  last  three  years;  and  what  have  you  been  doing 
all  that  time?  Why,  you  have  been  lying  in  the  swamps  until  the  moss  has 
grown  six  inches  long  on  your  backs,  and  such  men  call  themselves  "chival 
rous  soldiers."  A  few  weeks  ago  Gen.  Reynolds  sent  a  flag  of  truce  to  my 
headquarters,  and  I  sent  out  to  gather  a  respectable  force  to  meet  those 
officers,  and  not  one  of  you  responded.  A  few  days  later,  when  Col.  Davis 
and  Capt.  Bennett,  of  Gen.  Dodge's  staff,  bore  dispatches  to  me  from  that 
general,  I  attempted  again  to  call  about  me  enough  of  you  to  make  a  re 
spectable  show,  and  how  many  of  these  brave  men  reported  at  the  call? 
One  sore-eyed  man  with  green  goggles.  But  you  rally  likt  brave  and  gal 
lant  men  around  Uncle  Sam's  commissary  stores,  and  I  have  now  come  to 
surrender  j'ou,  and  hope  that  you  will  make  better  citizens  than  you  have 
soldiers. 

*#•*#»*«*#» 

'Those  of  you  who  had  arms,  with  a  few  exceptions,  have  left  them  at 
home,  and  those  who  had  government  horses  have  failed  to  report  them 
here.  Now  let  me  say  to  you,  one  and  all,  those  of  you  who  have  retained 
your  arms,  as  soon  as  you  get  home  take  them  to  the  nearest  military  post 
and  deliver  them  up,  or  burn  them,  or  get  rid  of  them  in  some  manner,  for 
as  sure  as  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  if  they  are  found  in  your  houses,  just  so 
sure  will  your  houses  be  burned  to  the  ground;  and  I  hope  to  God  every 
one  of  you  who  keep  good  arms  or  military  property  of  any  kind  in  your 
houses  will  be  hanged;  and  you  will,  too. 

«*«*»»•'••••• 

'  E5ut  I  want  you  to  go  home  and  work  hard  and  take  care  of  your  fcm- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  89 

ilies.  Work  early  and  late,  and  get  up  at  night  and  see  if  your  crops  art 
growing.  Above  all  things  avoid  political  discussions.  If  any  man  says 
"nigger"  to  you,  swear  that  you  never  knew  or  saw  one  in  your  life.  We 
have  talked  about  the  niggers  for  forty  years,  and  have  been  out-talked. 

We  have  fought  four  years  for  the  niggers,  and  have  been  d d  badly 

whipped,  and  now  it  is  not  "your  put."  The  Yankees  have  won  the  nigger 
and  will  do  what  they  please  with  him,  and  you  have  no  say  in  the  matter. 
If  they  want  him  they  will  take  him;  and  if  they  say  that  you  must  keep 
him,  you  have  to  do  it,  and  no  mistake.  I  tell  you  that  you  have  no  say  in 
the  matter,  and  you  oughtn't  to  have  any.  Go  home  and  stay  there. 
Don't  go  anywhere  but  to  mill.  Don'^go  tojgburch,  for  the  minister  will 
put  knots  and  mischief  in  your  heads,  and  get  you  into  trouble.  Be  good 
citizens,  and  then  those  of  you  who  have  been  good,  honest  and  brave  sol 
diers  need  have  nothing  to  fear;  but  I  warn  those  of  you  who  have  been 
nothing  but  sneaking,  cowardly  jayhawkers,  cutthroats  and  thieves,  that 
a  just  retribution  awaits  you,  and  I  hope  to  God  that  the  federal  authori 
ties  will  hang  you,  wherever  and  whenever  they  find  you,  and  they  will  do 
it,  sure. 

******  ***** 

'Do  not  complain  if  you  are  not  permitted  to  have  a  voice  in  elections  and 
civil  affairs.  You  have  forfeited  all  such  rights,  and  it  now  becomes  you  to 
submit  to  such  laws  and  regulations  as  the  federal  authorities  may  deem 
proper  to  enact.  I  believe  and  know  that  they  will  do  the  best  they  can  for 
you,  especially  if  jrou  show  henceforth  that  you  now  desire  to  merit  their 
confidence  by  strict  obedience  to  the  laws  where  you  may  reside. 

'  We  are  conquered  and  subjected ;  we  have  no  rights,  but  must  accept 
such  privileges  and  favors  as  the  government  may  see  proper  to  bestow 
upon  us.  Again  I  say,  go  home;  attend  to  your  business,  and  try  to  raise 
a  new  generation  of  boys  that  shall  become  better  men  than  you  have  been.' 

"Jeff.  Thompson  lived  many  years  alter  that  day,  a  good 
and  loyal  citizen.  He  was  a  brave  and  generous  man,  and 
had  always  treated  our  prisoners  with  humanity  whenever 
they  had  fallen  into  his  hands.  His  advice  to  his  soldiers 
echoed  the  sentiments  of  the  better  class  of  the  rebels  in  the 
district  at  that  time. 

"  We  remained  there  the  whole  summer,  always  impatient 
to  be  mustered  out  and  return  to  our  own  homes,  but  never 
deviating  from  the  orderly  and  friendly  position  first  taken. 
Many  of  the  men  formed  friendships  and  other  connections 
that  have  lasted  ever  since.  Some  of  them  returned  after 


90  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

their  muster  out,  and  are  still  counted  among  the  best  citi« 
zens  of  that  state;  some  formed  engagements  with  the 
country  girls,  and  went  back  to  marry  them.  One  of  my 
young  captains,  a  fine  St.  Paul  boy,  brought  with  the  regi 
ment  to  Minneapolis,  as  his  bride,  the  most  beautiful  woman, 
as  well  as  the  most  bitter  rebel,  of  that  portion  of  Arkansas, 
and  I  am  glad  to  say  that,  although  she  soon  returned  with  her 
gallant  husband  to  her  native  state,  where  they  still  reside,  she 
is  now,  and  has  been  ever  since,  as  true  and  loyal  to  our 
banner  and  our  cause  as  any  of  our  Northern  wives  and 
mothers. 

"I  would  not  have  it  understood  that  all  our  work  was 
so  pleasant  and  peaceful.  Sometimes  we  had  to  deal  with 
tough  cases  of  both  sexes,  and  then  the  iron  hand  of  power 
was  freely  used  to  restrain,  but  seldom  to  punish.  As  a 
relic  of  old  slave  times  I  will  relate  one  incident  of  many  that 
came  under  my  observation. 

"One  day  a  very  tidy  negro  "woman  came  and  reported 
that  her  late  master  had  recently  killed  her  husband.  I  sent 
for  the  former  master.  He  wras  a  leading  physician,  a  man 
of  fine  address  and  culture,  who  lived  in  an  elegant  mansion 
near  the  city.  He  sat  down  and  told  me  the  story,  nearly 
word  for  word  as  the  woman  did.  It  was  substantially  as 
follows:  Tom,  the  negro,  had  been  his  body-servant  since 
both  were  children,  and,  since  his  freedom,  still  remained  in 
the  same  service.  Tom  had  a  boy  about  eight  years  old. 
This  boy  had  done  some  mischief,  and  I  (said  the  doctor) 
called  him  in  and  gave  him  a  good  flogging.  Tom  was  out 
side  and  heard  the  boy  scream,  and  after  a  while  he  pushed 
open  the  door  and  took  the  boy  from  me,  telling  me  that  I 
had  whipped  him  enough.  He  brought  the  boy  into  his  own 
cabin,  and  then  started  foi  town.  I  took  my  gun  and  ran 
after  him.  When  he  saw  me  coming  he  started  on  a  run  and 
I  shot  him,  of  course.  "  Wouldn't  you  have  done  the  same?'* 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  91 

he  asked  me  with  an  injured  look.  The  killing  of  his  negro 
for  such  an  offence  seemed  so  right  and  natural  to  him  that 
he  was  perfectly  astonished  when  I  informed  him  that  he 
would  have  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  murder  before  a 
military  commission  at  Little  Rock,  where  he  was  at  once 
sent  for  trial.  What  a  great  change  in  sentiment  a  quarter 
of  a  century  has  produced  !  Our  children  will  never  learn  to 
realize  what  a  curse  slavery  was,  even  while  some  of  them 
were  in  their  cradles. 

"It  has  been  said  that  the  old  soldiers  occasionally  did  a 
little  foraging  on  their  own  hook,  while  in  the  enemy's  coun 
try,  and  I  rather  think  they  did ;  but  I  wish  to  state  most 
solemnly,  that  whatever  bad  habits  the  boys  might  have 
had  in  that  respect  before  the  surrender  of  the  Confederate 
army,  they  reformed  at  once  after  that  event,  most  thor 
oughly  and  sincerely,  and  during  the  whole  summer  of  1865, 
although  scattered  over  a  wide  country,  and  almost  free 
from  military  duty  and  restraint,  there  was  never  a  com 
plaint  made  against  a  man  in  my  command,  for  depredation 
of  any  kind,  and  I  verily  believe  that  the  rights  of  property, 
even  down  to  the  beloved  shoat  and  chicken,  were  held  as 
sacred  by  the  Union  soldiers  in  our  district  during  that  time 
as  those  rights  are  ordinarily  held  in  any  well-governed 
country  during  times  of  peace.  All  things  considered  I  am 
fully  convinced  that  the  excellent  conduct  of  our  soldiers  in 
the  South  during  the  early  days  of  reconstruction,  when  the 
army  took  a  prominent  part  in  that  work,  did  more  to  es 
tablish  law  and  order  and  to  foster  friendly  and  loyal  senti 
ments  towards  the  Union,  than  all  the  laws  and  constitu 
tional  amendments  enacted  for  that  purpose.  Had  the 
great  and  noble  Lincoln  lived,  or  even  if  President  Johnson  had 
remained  true  to  the  principles  of  his  early  life,  and  left  the 
Union  soldiers  at  liberty  to  carry  out  the  firm  but  humane 
policy  of  reconstruction  which  they  inaugurated  under  the 


92  STORY  OP  AN  EMIGRANT. 

-inspiration  of  Grant  and  Sherman,  we  would  have  had  not 
only  a  united  country,  but  a  loyal  and  law  abiding  people 
in  the  South  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  because  the  Union 
soldier  was  the  best  citizen  and  the  best  teacher  of  good  cit 
izenship.  Armies  of  other  nations  have  achieved  victories  as 
great  as  ours,  other  soldiers  than  ours  have  been  patient, 
obedient,  enduring  and  brave,  but  none  in  the  world's  his 
tory  have  shown  such  greatness  in  civic  virtues  as  the  Union 
soldiers  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion." 

In  the  beginning  of  September,  1865,  the  regiment  was 
ordered  home,  and  on  September  16th  it  was  mustered  out 
at  Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota,  on  which  occasion  the  follow 
ing  general  order  was  read : 

'  General  Order  No.  16. 
'  Officers  and  Men  of  the  Third  Minnesota  Regiment : 

'After  four  years  of  active  service  this  regiment  is  about  to  be  disbanded. 
Before  another  day  you  will  all  have  received  your  honorable  discharges 
and  be  on  your  way  to  your  quiet,  happy  homes.  The  familiar  sound  of 
the  bugle  and  drum  will  no  longer  be  heard  among  us.  The  "Stars  and 
Stripes,"  which  we  have  all  learned  to  love,  vill  no  longer  wave  over  our 
ranks* 

'You  have  toiled,  struggled  and  suffered  much  during  the  last  four  years, 
yet  to  those  who  are  now  here  to  enjoy  the  triumph  over  our  enemies  and 
the  peace  and  prosperity  of  our  country,  the  reward  is  ample.  I  know  that 
we  will  all  regard  the  acts  of  those  years  as  the  noblest  and  proudest  of 
our  lives.  For  those,  our  noble  comrades,  who  have  fallen  victims  in  the 
struggle,  let  us  always,  with  the  most  tender  affection,  cherish  their 
memory. 

'  You  have  served  your  country  nobly  and  faithfully  in  every  field  where 
duty  called  you,  and  I  am  proud  to  assert  that  on  every  occasion 
and  in  every  locality,  from  the  northwestern  frontier,  against  the  savage 
Indian  foes,  to  the  deathly  swamps  of  the  Yazoo  and  Arkansas  valleys, 
against  the  haughty  Southern  rebels,— wherever  this  regiment  has  been,  its 
rank  and  file,  its  bone  and  sinew,  the  true  representatives  of  our  noble 
young  state,  have  ever  reflected  honor  and  credit  on  that  state. 

'  As  your  commanding  officer  1  am  greatly  indebted  to  you  all,  officers 
and  men,  for  your  admirable  conduct  on  all  occasions,  for  your  ready  obe 
dience  of  o1  ders,  and  for  your  fidelity,  patriotism  and  perseverance  in  the 
discharge  of  all  your  toilsome  duties. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  93 

'  In  bidding  you  farewell,  I  give  you  all  my  most  hearty  thanks.  May 
peace,  prosperity  and  happiness  ever  be  your  reward. 

'For  me,  the  greatest  honor,— greater  far  than  I  ever  expected  to 
achieve, — is  the  fact -of  having  so  long  commanded,  and  at  last  led  home  in 
triumph  and  peace,  the  always  dear  and  noble  Third  Minnesota  Regiment. 

'  H.  MATTSON, 

1  Colonel  Commanding  Regiment. 
*P.  E.  FOLSOM,  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant.'  " 

During  this  war  the  Union  army  had  mustered  in  2,883,- 
'000  men,  400,000  of  whom  had  lost  their  lives.  To  this 
army  Minnesota  contributed  25,052,  or  about  one-seventh 
of  her  entire  population.  Of  this  number  2,500  were  killed  or 
died  of  sickness  during  the  war,  and  it  is  calculated  that 
5,000  died  since  the  war  on  account  of  wounds  and  diseases 
contracted  during  service.  The  Third  regiment  had,  during 
four  years'  service,  a  total  enrollment  of  1,417,  of  which 
number  there  were  left  only  432  men  when  we  returned  in 
September,  1865.  The  war  cost  the  Union  about  two  bil 
lion,  seven  hundred  million  dollars.  The  sacrifice  of  gold 
and  blood  was  not  too  great.  Not  only  America,  but  the 
whole  human  race  has  gained  more  through  the  victories  of 
our  army  than  can  be  estimated  in  gold  and  blood.  And  the 
Scandinavians  of  the  West  may  justly  feel  proud  of  the  part 
they  tool-  in  this  struggle  for  liberty  and  human  rights. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

My  Reason  for  Taking  Part  in  the  Civil  War— The  Dignity  of  Labor— The 
Firm  Mattson  &  Webster — Svenska  Amerikanaren,  its  Program  and 
Reception — The  State  Emigration  Bureau  of  Minnesota — Its  Aim. 
Plan  and  Work. 


The  war  which  closed  with  the  events  narrated  in  the  last 
chapter  was  one  of  the  most  important  of  modern  times, 
and  proved  the  greatness  and  the  resources  of  the  American 
people  never  properly  appreciated  before.  But  it  repealed  a 
still  greater  nobility  of  character  when  our  immense  army, 
after  four  years'  service,  suddenly  disbanded,  its  soldiers 
quietly  and  peacefully  returning  to  their  common  daily  toil 
without  the  least  disorder  or  disturbance  of  any  kind.  The 
swords  were  turned  into  plowshares  as  quietly  and  naturall}r 
as  if  they  never  had  been  steeped  in  blood. 

For  my  own  part  —  and  that  was  undoubtedly  the  case 
•with  most  of  our  volunteers  —  I  entered  the  service  because 
I  considered  it  to  be  my  duty  to  do  my  little  part  in  defend 
ing  the  country  which  had  adopted  me  as  a  citizen,  and  not, 
as  many  have  supposed,  on  account  of  ambition  or  for  the 
sake  of  gain  ;  in  fact,  as  has  been  shown  already,  I  resigned 
a  more  important  and  remunerative  position  in  the  civil 
service  than  the  one  I  first  accepted  in  the  army;  hence  it 
was  quite  easy  for  me  to  exchange  the  uniform  for  the  plain 
garb  of  the  citizen  .and  hang  my  sword  among  the  reminis 
cences  of  the  past. 

94 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  95 

One  day  shortly  after  my  arrival  home,  while  walking 
along  a  street  in  Red  Wing,  I  noticed  a  former  professor  of  a 
university,  who  had  been  a  captain  in  the  Sixth  regiment 
working  in  his  shirt  sleeves  with  a  plane  and  helping  to 
build  a  house.  After  saluting  him  I  asked  how  he  liked  this 
kind  of  work,  to  which  he  answered  that  another  professor 
had  been  appointed  in  his  place  while  he  was  in  the  war,  and 
being  through  with  the  service,  he  neither  liked  nor  could 
afford  to  be  idle.  Having  acquired  some  skill  in  handling 
carpenter's  tools  in  his  youth,  he  said  he  found  it  easy  to  get 
work  at  two  dollars  a  day,  and  meanwhile  he  could  be  on 
the  look-out  for  a  position  as  professor  of  mathematics  at 
some  college  or  university. 

Here  is  the  key  to  the  greatness  of  this  country:  Labor  is 
respected,  while  in  most  other  countries  it  is  looked  down 
upon  with  slight.  The  former  professor  and  Capt.  Wilson  was 
soon  thereafter  appointed  state  superintendent  of  schools, 
while,  if  he  had  remained  idle  and  dependent  upon  his  rela 
tives  and  friends  for  assistance,  too  proud  to  work,  he  would 
most  likely  have  been  looking  around  for  something  to  turn 
up  to  this  day. 

Another  little  incident,  which  occurred  about  this  time 
may  interest  the  Swedish  reader.  The  great  Gen.  Sherman 
visited  St.  Paul,  and  a  banquet  was  given  to  him  at  which 
I  was  present.  During  the  conversation  I  asked  about  the 
Swedish  Gen.  Stohlbrand.  "  Do  you  know  him  ?"  Gen.  Sher 
man  inquired.  "Yes,  sir;  he  is  my  countryman,  and  we 
served  in  the  same  regiment  in  Sweden,"  I  said.  "Then," 
said  he,  "you  may  be  proud  of  your  old  comrade,  for  a 
braver  man  and  a  better  artillery  officer  than  Gen.  Stohl 
brand  could  not  be  found  in  our  entire  army." 

At  the  same  time  the  general  told  the  following:  Stohl 
brand  had  served  in  his  corps  for  some  time  with  the  rank  of 
major,  and  performed  such  services  as  properly  belong  to  a 


96  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRA.NT. 

colonel  or  brigadier-general  without  being  promoted  accord 
ing  to  his  merits,  because  there  had  been  no  vacancy  in  the 
regiment  to  which  he  belonged.  Displeased  with  this,  Stohl- 
brand  sent  in  his  resignation,  which  was  accepted,  but  Sher 
man  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to  let  him  leave  the  army, 
and  asked  him  to  go  by  way  of  Washington  on  his  return 
home,  pretending  that  he  wished  to  send  some  important 
dispatches  to  President  Lincoln.  In  due  time  Stohlbrand 
arrived  in  Washington  and  handed  a  sealed  package  to 
President  Lincoln  in  person.  Having  looked  the  papers 
through  the  president  extended  his  hand  exclaiming:  "How 
do  you  do,  General!"  Stohlbrand,  correcting  him,  said;  "I 
am  no  general,  I  am  only  a  major."  "You  are  mistaken," 
said  Lincoln,  "you  are  a  general," — and  he  was  from  that 
moment.  In  a  few  hours  he  received  his  commission  and  re 
turned  to  the  army  with  a  rank  three  degrees  higher  than 
that  he  held  a  few  days  before. 

The  subject  of  the  conversation  thus  being  Swedish  officers, 
several  honorable  deeds  were  told  of  some  of  them,  among 
others,  how  Col.  Vegesack,  his  regiment  making  a  charge 
with  leveled  bayonets,  and  his  color-bearer  receiving  a  mor 
tal  wound,  himself  seized  the  colors  and  led  his  regiment  to 
victory. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war  a  well-known  lawver  and 

w* 

myself  opened  a  law  office  in  Red  Wing,  the  name  of  the 
new  firm  being  Mattson  &  Webster.  I  had  successfully  prac 
ticed  law  but  a  few  months  when  it  was  announced  that  a 
new  Swedish  newspaper,  to  be  called  Svenska  Amerikanaren, 
was  to  be  established  in  Chicago.  This  enterprise  was 
backed  by  a  number  of  prominent  Swedes  of  Illinois,  who 
appointed  me  editor  in  chief  without  my  knowledge  or  so 
licitation.  At  that  time  there  was  only  one  Swedish  news 
paper  in  this  country,  viz.,  Hemlandet,  which  was  more  of  a 
church  than  a  political  paper,  hence  this  was  an  open  and 


STORY  CM  AN  EMIGRANT  97 

large  field  for  me.  I  accepted  the  appointment  on  condition 
that  I  should  not  move  to  Chicago,  but  simply  help  to  start 
the  paper  and  put  it  on  a  firm  footing,  and  that  I  should  be 
allowed  to  resign  in  case  I  found  this  kind  of  work  unfavor 
able  to  my  health,  which  had  been  very  seriously  affected  by 
the  hardships  and  sufferings  of  the  war. 

On  September  18,  1866,  the  first  number  of  the  Svenska 
Anienkanaren  was  published.  I  quote  from  the  article  an 
nouncing  my  having  assumed  editorial  charge  of  the  paper  as 
follows:  "It  shall  be  my  ambition  to  so  write  as  to  advance 
the  interest  of  the  laboring  people  of  our  nationality,  and  to 
guide  them  in  becoming  good  American  citizens.  I  am  one  of 
thatclass  myself,  and  duringmy  residencein  the  settlements  of 
the  West  I  have  learned  to  know  their  wants."  The  paper 
was  very  favorably  received  both  in  this  country  and  in 
Sweden,  and,  under  the  name  of  Svenska  Tribunen,  is 
still  exercising  a  great  and  good  influence  among  the  Swed 
ish  Americans. 

The  following  winter  (1867)  the  legislature  of  Minnesota 
established  a  state  bureau  with  the  purpose  of  inducing  im 
migrants  to  settle  in  the  state,, and  I  was  appointed  by 
Gov.  W.  R.  Marshall  to  be  secretary  of  the  board  of  emi 
gration,  with  the  governor  and  secretary  of  state  as  cx- 
officio  members ;  the  Rev.  John  Ireland,  now  Catholic  Arch 
bishop  of  Minnesota,  was  also  for  a  time  a  member  of  that 
board. 

The  St.  Paul  Press  for  March  14,  1867,  contained  the  fol 
lowing  concerning  the  new  board : 

"The  state  board  of  emigration,  composed  of  Gov.  Mar 
shall,  Col.  Rogers  and  Col.  Mattson,  was  organized  yester 
day,  and  a  general  plan  of  operation  agreed  upon.  We  learn 
that  the  board  concluded  that,  with  the  limited  means  at 
their  disposal,  it  was  not  advisable  to  employ  agents  to 
work  in  Europe,  but  to  use  every  practicable  effort  to  turn 


98  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

immigrants  to  Minnesota,  after  their  arrival  in  this  country. 
Efforts  will  be  made  to  procure  the  publication  of  facts  in 
regard  to  the  state,  in  eastern  and  European  journals;  to 
make  arrangements  with  railroads,  more  advantageous  to 
emigrants  than,  heretofore  and  to  afford  them  through  in 
terpreters  and  otherwise  reliable  information  in  regard  to 
the  best  routes  to  the  state  from  eastern  parts.  To  give  the 
emigrant  a  general  idea  of  the  characteristics  of  every  local 
ity  in  Minnesota,  it  is  proposed  to  procure  a  map  or  chart 
ot  the  state,  showing  its  boundaries,  streams,  lakes,  naviga 
ble  rivers,  timber  and  prairie  sections,  etc." 

One  of  my  first  and  most  pleasant  duties  as  secretary  of 
the  board  was  to  secure  aid  for  the  settlers  along  the  Minne 
sota  river.  This  locality  had  suffered  from  drought  the 
previous  year,  and  the  settlers,  most  of  whom  were  Swedes, 
Norwegians  and  Finlanders,  were  almost  entirely  destitute, 
and  had  no  grain  left  for  seed.  Having  secured  an  order 
from  the  government  in  Washington  for  provisions  from  the 
commissary  department  at  Fort  "Ridgely,  and  being  fur 
nished  with  a  letter  of  credit  from  our  own  state,  I  left  for 
the  stricken  territory  in  the  beginning  of  April,  passing 
through  the  counties  of  Redwood,  Renville,  Yellow  Medicine 
and  Chippewa.  At  New  Ulm  several  hundred  sacks  of 
flour  were  purchased,  and  at  Fort  Ridgely  large  quantities 
of  provisions  were  taken  out  of  the  United  States  military 
stores.  Agents  were  appointed  to  distribute  these  among 
the  people,  seed  wheat  and  corn  were  shipped  there  from  the 
South,  and  the  settlers  were  thus  relieved. 

Soon  after  my  return  to  St.  Paul  the  board  of  emigration 
was  again  called  together,  and  I  was  authorized  to  appoint 
Swedish,  Norwegian  and  German  agents  and  interpreters  to 
•meet  our  emigrants  in  New  York  and  Quebec,  and  be  their 
guides  and  protectors  on  the  journey  through  the  country 
to  our  state.  Temporary  homes  were  also  secured  until  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  99 

commissioners  in  the  service  of  the  board  could  get  work  for 
those  who  wanted  to  work  out,  and  direct  the  rest  to  the 
interior  of  the  state,  where  they  could  settle  on  government 
land  or  buy  cheap  land  from  private  parties. 

Arrangements  were  made  with  newspapers  in  different 
languages  for  publishing  articles  written  by  myself  and 
others,  which  contained  descriptions  of  Minnesota  and  its 
resources.  Pamphlets  and  maps  with  moredetailtd  accounts, 
were  printed  in  Swedish,  Norwegian  and  German,  and  dis 
tributed  in  the  respective  countries,  on  board  the  ocean 
steamers,  at  the  railroad  stations  and  at  other  convenient 
places.  I  was  the  author  of  nearly  all  of  this  literature,  in 
which  great  pains  were  taken  to  describe  everything  in 
detail;  how  the  chests  or  boxes  ought  to  be  made  and 
marked  before  leaving  the  old  country ;  what  articles  ought 
to  be  taken  along;  what  kind  of  provisions  were  most 
suitable;  what  measures  ought  to  be  taken  with  reference 
to  cleanliness  and  behavior  during  the  long  and  tedious 
journey,  etc.  On  my  visits  among  our  western  farmers 
years  afterwards  I  have  often  seen  pamphlets  in  Swedish 
and  Norwegian  with  my  name  as  author  standing  in  the 
little  bookshelf  side  by  side  with  the  Bible,  the  prayer-book, 
the  catechism,  and  a  few  other  reminiscences  from  the  old 
country.  I  also  spent  some  time  attending  to  the  needs  of 
the  emigrants  in  the  sea-ports  and  in  Chicago,  made  arrange 
ments  with  railroad  companies  for  securing  better  accommo 
dations  and  even  free  tickets  for  hundreds  of  emigrants,  who 
would  otherwise  have  been  compelled  to  part  with  their 
companions  before  reaching  their  place  of  destination. 

While  performing  my  duty  as  secretary  of  the  board  of 
emigration  I  also  acted  as  land  agent  for  one  of  our  great 
est  railroad  companies,  wThose  line  went  through  Wright, 
Meeker,  Kandiyohi,  Swift  and  Stevens  counties,  and  near 
Lake  Ripley,  in  Meeker  county.  I  purchased  some  eight 


100 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


hundred  acres  of  land  for  myself,  on  which  I  made  extensive 
improvements  and  spent  some  time  as  a  farmer. 


In  the  above-named  localities  there  were  only  a  few  widely 
scattered  families  when  I  went  there  in  1867,  while  it  is  now 
one  continuous  Scandinavian  settlement,  extending  over  a 
territory  more  than  a  hundred  miles  long  and  dotted  over 
with  cities  and  towns,  largely  the  result  of  the  work  of  the 
board  of  emigration  during  the  years  1867,  1868  and  1869. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  101 

The  board  of  emigration  did  not  show  partiality  toward 
any  portion  of  the  state,  but  did  all  its  work  with  a  view  to 
the  interest  of  the  whole  community.  Our  efforts,  however, 
in  behalf  of  Minnesota  brought  on  a  great  deal  of  envy  and 
ill-will  from  people  in  other  states  who  were  interested  in 
seeing  the  Scandinavian  emigration  turned  towards  Kansas 
and  other  states,  and  this  feeling  went  so  far  that  a  promi 
nent  newspaper  writer  in  Kansas  accused  me  of  selling  my 
countrymen  to  a  life  not  much  better  than  slavery  in  a  land 
of  ice,  snow  and  perpetual  winter,  where,  if  the  poor  emi 
grant  did  not  soon  starve  to  death,  he  would  surely  perish 
with  cold.  Such  was  at  that  time  the  opinion  of  many  con 
cerning  Minnesota.  I  would  be  more  than  human  if  I  did 
not,  in  recalling  these  incidents,  point  with  pride  and  satis 
faction  to  the  condition  of  the  Scandinavians  in  Minnesota 
to-day,  but  will  return  to  this  further  on. 

The  position  which  I  held  enabled  me  to  be  of  service  to 
countrymen  in  more  ways  than  one.  Thus  the  interests  of 
the-  church  were  by  no  means  neglected,  and  I  think  my 
readers  will  excuse  me  for  inserting  the  following  lines  from 
the  minutes  of  the  eighth  annual  council  of  the  Swedish 
Augustana  Synod,  held  in  Berlin,  111.,  June  13,  1867: 

"Whereas,  The  same  conference  reports  that  Col.Mattson 
has  offered  to  procure  sites  for  churches,  parsonageb  and 
burial  grounds  for  Lutheran  churches  in  the  new  Scandina 
vian  settlements  in  Western  Minnesota, 

"  Therefore  Resolved,  That  the  synod  express  its  thanks  to 
Col.  Mattson,  and  request  him  to  get  deeds  on  said  property 
to  be  given  to  the  different  churches  of  the  Augustana 
Synod,  as  soon  as  they  are  organized  at  the  different  places." 

It  has  always  been  admitted  that  during  those  years  the 
emigrants  destined  for  Minnesota  received  better  care,  guid 
ance  and  protection  than  was  ever  accorded  to  a  like  class 
before  or  after  that  time.  It  is  also  acknowledged  that  the 


102  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRA\?T. 

state  received  great  benefits  in  return  by  being  settled  by  a 
superior  class  of  emigrants  from  the  northern  countries.  As 
for  my  own  share  in  that  work,  although  my  efforts  were 
sometimes  misunderstood  and  I  myself  blamed,  as  any  one 
will  be  who  has  to  deal  with  newly-arrived  emigrants,  I 
felt  much  pride  and  satisfaction  in  the  work,  knowing  that 
not  only  the  state,  but  the  emigrants  themselves,  and  even 
the  serving  and  laboring  classes  remaining  in  the  old  coun 
tries,  were  very  greatly  benefited  thereby.  While  laboring 
hard  for  immigration  to  Minnesota  my  chief  object  was  to 
get  the  emigrants  away  from  the  large  cities  and  make 
them  settle  on  the  unoccupied  lands  in  the  northwest,  where 
the  climate  was  suitable  to  them,  and  where  it  was  morally 
certain  that  every  industrious  man  or  family  would  acquire 
independence  sooner  and  better  than  in  the  crowded  cities  of 
the  east.  I  never  attempted  to  induce  anyone  to  immigrate, 
but  tried  to  reach  those  only  who  had  already  made  up 
their  minds  to  do  so,  and  the  only  people  that  I  ever  induced 
to  leave  their  mother  country  were  a  number  of  poor  serv 
ants  and  tenants  among  my  own  or  my  parents'  acquaint 
ances  for  whom  I  myself  paid  partly  or  wholly  the  cost  of 
the  journey. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Visit  to  Sweden  in  1868-1869— The  Object  of  my  Journey— Experiences  and 
Observations  During  the  Same — Difference  Between  American  and 
Swedish  Customs— My  Birth-place — Arrival  and  Visit  There — Visit  to 
Christianstad— Visit  to  Stockholm— The  Swedish  Parliament— My  Re 
turn  to  America — Reflections  on  and  Impressions  of  the  Condition  of  the 
Bureaucracy  of  Sweden. 


For  many  years  I  had  desired  to  revisit  the  home  of  my 
childhood,  and  in  December,  1868,  saying  good-bye  to  fam 
ily  and  friends,  I  set  out  alone  on  my  first  visit  to  Sweden, 
after  an  absence  of  nearly  eighteen  years.  The  chief  object 
of  the  journey  was  recreation  and  pleasure;  the  second  ob 
ject  to  make  the  resources  of  Minnesota  better  known 
among  the  farming  and  laboring  classes,  who  had  made  up 
their  minds  to  emigrate.  This  visit  to  the  fatherland 
marked  an  important  era  in  my  life.  Being  only  eighteen 
years  old  when  I  first  left  it,  my  impressions  were  vague  and 
imperfect.  Nor  had  I  seen  much  of  that  beautiful  country 
until  my  return  in  1868.  I  shall  now  endeavor  to  relate 
some  of  those  impressions  and  experiences  as  faithfully  as 
memory  permits,  and  should  I  have  to  record  some  things 
that  will  offend  certain  classes  of  my  countrymen,  I  do  it 
with  no  unfriendliness  or  lack  of  kindly  feeling,  but  simply 
in  the  interest  of  truth ;  for  after  having  been  a  true  and 
loyal  American  citizen  for  nearly  forty  years  I  still  cling  to 

103 


104  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Sweden,  its  people  and  institutions,  with  the  affection  of  a 
child  toward  its  mother. 

When  I  left  Sweden  in  1851  there  were  no  railroads.  On 
my  return  the  23d  day  of  December,  1868,  via  England, 
Germany  and  Copenhagen,  I  landed  at  Malmo  just  in  time 
to  walk  to  the  railroad  station  and  take  the  train  to  Chris- 
tianstad.  The  beautiful  station  with  its  surroundings, 
the  uniformed  and  courteous  officials  in  attendance,  the 
well-dressed  and  comfortable-looking  people  in  the  first  and 
second-class  waiting  room,  all  made  a  pleasant  impression 
upon  me,  which  soon  was  to  be  disturbed,  however,  by  the 
following  little  incident:  As  I  stepped  up  to  the  ticket  win 
dow  to  buy  my  ticket  I  observed  a  poor  working  woman  at 
the  third-class  window  with  a  silver  coin  in  her  hand  and 
with  tears  in  her  eyes  begging  the  clerk  to  give  her  the 
change  and  a  ticket.  I  heard  her  pleading  that  she  had  left 
three  little  children  alone  at  home,  that  this  was  the  last 
train,  and  if  she  did  not  get  home  with  it  she  would  have  to 
walk  in  the  mud  after  dark.  The  clerk  insultingly  refused 
her,  stating  that  he  had  no  time  to  bother  with  her  trifles 
unless  she  paid  the  even  change;  she  asked  several  gentlemen 
near  by  to  change  her  money  for  her,  but  they  all  turned  away 
as  if  fearing  contamination  by  coming  in  contact  with  one 
so  poor  and  lowly.*  I  had  only  a  few  large  bills,  and  as  the 
woman  was  crowded  away,  the  same  clerk  at  the  first-class 
window  took  one  of  my  bills,  and,  writh  a  most  polite  bow, 
gave  me  a  handful  of  large  and  small  change.  Of  course  I 
got  the  woman  her  ticket  also.  This  was  possibly  an  excep 
tional  case,  but  to  me  it  was  a  striking  example  of  the 
difference  between  Swedish  and  American  ways  and  cour 
tesy.  I  venture  to  say  that  in  no  railway  station  or  other 
public  place  in  the  whole  United  States,  north  or  south,  east 
or  west,  would  a  poor  woman  in  her  circumstances  be  left 

*The  rules  in  Sweden  give  the  ticket  clerks  the  right  to  demand  even  change. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  105 

one  minute  without  a  friend  and  protector.  Men  of  all 
classes, — from  the  millionaire  to  the  day-laborer,  or  even 
street  loafer,  — would  have  vied  with  each  other  in  trying  to 
be  the  first  to  render  her  assistance. 

I  passed  my  old  home  at  Qnnestad  station  after  dark,  and 
soon  arrived  in  Christianstad,  where  four  years  of  my  youth 
had  been  spent.  It  was  my  purpose  this  time  only  to  pass 
through  the  city  without  looking  up  any  old  acquaintances. 
This  was  my  thirty-sixth  birthday,  and,  thinking  of  family 
and  friends  in  my  western  home,  I  felt  lonely,  and  repaired 
to  my  room  at  the  hotel.  I  was  not  left  alone  very  long, 
however,  for  the  news  of  my  arrival  had  preceded  me  by  a 
telegram  from  Copenhagen,  and  soon  an  old  schoolmate 
called,  and  a  few  minutes  later  the  editor  of  the  leading 
newspaper,  Karl  Hollers  vard,  who  was  exactly  of  my  own 
age  and  had  been  on  a  short  visit  to  America,  and  with 
whom  a  warm  and  lasting  friendship  was  soon  formed. 
The  stroll  through  the  little  city  the  following  morning 
brought  many  tender  recollections,  and  I  should  have  enjoyed 
it  more  had  I  not  been  such  an  object  of  attention  and  curi 
osity  to  everybody  there. 

The  advent  of  the  railroad  and  the  leveling  of  the  old  for 
tifications  had  brought  many  improvements  on  the  out 
skirts,  but  the  interior  of  the  town  with  its  little,  narrow,  but 
rectangular  squares,  streets  and  alleys,  and  its  little  one  and 
two-story  houses  had  undergone  no  change.  And  yet  I  could 
hardly  realize  that  it  was  the  same,  because  those  objects 
which,  to  my  boyish  fancy,  had  seemed  grand  and  imposing 
now  appeared  so  diminutive  that  it  was  more  like  a  dream 
than  a  living  reality.  This  was  particularly  the  case  when, 
at  noon,  I  watched  the  guard-mount  of  the  artillery  at  the 
great  square,  and  saw  a  large  number  of  finely-uniformed 
officers,  many  of  them  grey  with  age  and  service,  their 
breasts  covered  with  decorations  and  crosses.  With  their 


106   t  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

sabres  dragging  and  clashing  against  the  pavement,  and 
their  spurs  rattling,  they  walked  up  to  the  parade  line  from 
which  they  reviewed  a  couple  of  dozen  soldiers  with  an  air 
of  solemn  dignity,  which  might  have  done  honor  to  a  Grant, 
a  Sherman,  or  a  Sheridan,  while  reviewing  our  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  veterans  of  a  hundred  battlefields.  Truly,  if 
the  army  of  Sweden  is  defective  in  anything  it  is  not  in 
the  dignity  and  style  of  the  officers  of  the  Vendes  artillery ; 
but,  joking  aside,  the  splendid  bearing  and  discipline  of  the 
regiment  made  a  good  impression.  This  regiment  has  in 
fact  become  noted  as  a  training  school  for  young  men,  who 
are  afterwards  employed  in  the  railroad  service,  and  in  large 
establishments  where  ability,  punctuality  and  practical 
knowledge  are  necessary. 

Christmas  eve  found  me  in  Fjelkinge,  at  the  old  homestead 
where  my  father  was  born,  and  where  his  people  had  lived 
for  generations.  The  place  was  now  owned  by  a  cousin  of 
mine,  an  excellent  and  very  prominent  man  in  his  locality. 
The  telegram  had  not  reached  this  quiet,  and,  to  me,  sacred, 
spot.  The  astonishment  and  surprise  of  my  honored  cousin 
and  mytwo  aged  uncles,  who  were  still  living,  can  more  easily 
imagined  than  described,  and  I  was  received  with  cordiality 
and  joy.  That  night,  spent  under  the  roof  of  my  forefathers, 
surrounded  by  the  old  people  and  the  many  dear  recollec 
tions,  and  by  a  new  generation  that  had  come  into  being 
since  my  last  visit  there,  stands  vividly  in  my  memory  as 
one  of  the  most  delightful  of  my  life. 

Another  cousin  of  mine,  a  younger  brother  of  Hans  Lar 
son,  of  Fjelkinge,  was  reccor  at  Trolle-Ljungby,  not  far  from 
the  old  homestead.  In  his  church  there  was  to  be  an  early 
service  Christmas  morning.  We  consequently  left  Fjelkinge 
very  early,  and  arrived  at  Ljungby  just  as  the  candles  were 
lighted  and  the  service  commenced.  We  entered  and  sat 
down  in  the  sacristy  just  as  my  cousin  had  left  it  to  enter  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  107 

pulpit  in  the  church.  He  did  not  know  that  we  -were  there^ 
but  we  could  see  him,  and  hear  his  words  during  the  solemn 
"Otte  song."  On  his  return  with  his  family  to  the  sacristy 
after  the  services,  there  was  another  surprise,  and  such  joy 
as  we  then  experienced  does  not  often  fall  to  the  lot  of  mor 
tal  man.  He  told  us  that  he  had  just  had  a  dream  about  me 
that  very  night,  and  his  mind  was  full  of  anxiety  about  my 
safety;  but  he  had  not  expected  to  meet  me  so  soon.  Be 
tween  him  and  me  there  had  been  a  bond  of  friendship  and 
brotherhood,  even  from  childhood,  which  "was  now  renewed, 
never  to  be  broken  again. 

I  had  a  third  uncle,  my  father's  youngest  brother,  who 
lived  in  Vislof,  three  Swedish  miles  from  Fjelkinge.  The  sec 
ond  day  after  my  arrival  he  sent  his  son  asking  me  to  come 
to  him  immediately,  as  he  had  been  waiting  for  me  a  long 
time,  and  I  went  to  his  house  the  same  evening.  This  uncle 
had  been  stricken  with  paralysis  two  or  three  years  before, 
and  been  a  bed-ridden  invalid  ever  since,  unable  to  use  his 
limbs,  and  at  times  even  to  speak.  His  eldest  son  had  gone 
to  Minnesota  the  previous  summer.  The  evening  which  I 
spent  at  his  bedside  was  a  remarkable  one.  As  soon  as  I 
approached  his  bed  he  partly  raised  himself  to  sitting  post 
ure  and  began  to  speak,  which  he  had  not  been  able  to  do 
for  a  long  time.  His  wife  was  sick  abed  in  another  room, 
but  his  youngest  son  and  two  daughters  were  at  his  bed 
side  with  myself.  He  said  he  had  been  wan  ting  to  die  for  a  long 
time,  but  when  he  had  heard  that  I  was  to  visit  Sweden  he 
wished  to  live  until  he  could  see  me  again.  He  asked  me  to 
tell  all  about  my  father,  our  family  and  friends,  and  his  eld 
est  son.  Then  he  asked  me  to  take  his  family  with  me  to 
America  when  he  was  dead.  When  he  had  no  more  ques 
tions  to  ask  or  anything  to  communicate  he  sent  his  son  for 
two  of  the  neighbors,  said  good-bye  to  all  of  us  with  the  ex 
clamation:  " Thanks  for  all  you  have  related  and  promised! 


108  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Now  I  am  ready  to  die!  Farewell!  God  bless  you  all!" 
after  which  he  breathed  his  last.  The  following  spring  his 
family  accompanied  me  to  Minnesota. 

I  decided  to  spend  New  Year's  eve  with  one  of  my  most  in 
timate  boyhood  friends,  Mr.  Nils  Bengtson,  in  the  little  vL" 
lage  of  Skoglosa,  where  I  was  born.    Some  of  the  dearest 
friends  of  my  parents  and  a  number  of  my  childhood  ac 
quaintances  were  present  there,  and  on  New  Year's  day  we 
attended  services  together  in  the  old  church  at  Qnnestad 
My  presence  was  expected,  and  the  church  was  crowded  with 
people  who  had  been  friends  and  neighbors  of  my  parents,  or 
school  and  playmates  of  myself.    Even  the  pastor  had  chos 
en  a  text  applicable  to  me:     "I  think  of  the  bj^gone  days, 
and  of  the  time  that  is  past."     The  solemn  services  made  a 
deep  impression  on  all  of  us.      A  day  or  two  later,  in  com 
pany  with  some  friends  I  visited  the  little  cottage  where  I 
was  born,  and  where  a  number  of  the  neighbors  had  now 
gathered  to  see  me.    One  of  my  earliest  recollections  from 
childhood  was  the  spruce  tree,  which,  as  I  mentioned  in  the 
first  chapter,  was  planted  in  the  little  garden  by  my  parents. 
It  was  the  only  tree  of  its  kind  for  a  great  distance  around. 
It  had  grown  to  be  a  foot  in  diameter,  was  very  beautiful, 
and  was  the  pride  not  only  of  the  present  owner  of  the  little 
farm,  but  of  the  whole  neighborhood.    After  breaking  off  a 
sprig  or  two  of  the  tree  to  carry  back  to  my  parents,  we  left 
the  place  early  in  the  evening  for  Nils  Bengtson's  home, 
which  was  about  half  a  mile  distant,  and  where  I  was  still 
a  guest. 

Early  the  next  morning  my  host  awoke  me  with  the  news 
that  the  owner  of  the  cottage  had  arrived  before  daylight, 
anxious  to  communicate  a  strange  accident.  Upon  being 
admitted  he  stated  that  shortly  after  I  left  his  house  in  the 
evening,  a  single  gust  of  wind  swept  by  in  great  force  and 
broke  the  spruce  tree  off  with  a  clean  cut  a  few  feet  from  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  109 

ground.  It  seemed  very  strange  to  us  all,  and  lie  regarded 
it  as  an  ill-omen,  sold  the  place  shortly  afterward,  and  went 
with  me  to  America  the  following  spring. 

At  that  time  only  a  few  Swedish  emigrants  had  returned*  ^ 
from  America,  and  to  see  a  man  who  had  been  eighteen  years 
in  America,  and  had  been  a  colonel  in  the  American  army 
must  have  been  a  great  curiosity,  especially  to  the  country 
people;  for  wherever  it  was  known  that  I  would  pass,  peo 
ple  flocked  from  their  houses  to  the  roads  and  streets  in 
order  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  returned  traveler.  So  great 
was  their  curiosity  that  on  New  Year's  eve  the  servant  girls 
of  Nils  Bengtson  at  Skoglosa,  drew  lots  as  to  who  should 
carry  in  our  coffee,  and  thereby  get  a  chance  to  take  the  first 
look  at  the  American  colonel.  One  of  the  ladies  of  the  house 
told  me  afterwards  that  when  the  girl  returned  to  the 
kitchen  she  put  the  tray  down  with  great  emphasis  and  dis 
appointment,  exclaiming  indignantly:  "Oh,  pshaw!  He 
looks  just  like  any  other  man !  " 

Now  followed  a  season  of  visits  and  entertainments  in 
Christianstad  and  the  neighboring  country,  which  I  shall 
ever  hold  in  grateful  remembrance.  I  was  received  with  cor 
diality  everywhere  among  the  common  people  and  the  middle 
classes,  while  the  aristocratic  classes  looked  on  with  distant 
coldness,  as  they  always  do  when  a  man  of  the  people  has  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  beyond  what  they  would  call  his  legitimate 
station,  and  is  what  we  would  call,  in  other  words,  a  self" 
made  man.  My  plain  name  and  humble  ancestry  were  in 
their  eyes  a  fault  that  never  could  be  forgiven.  This  did  not 
trouble  me,  however,  for  I  sought  no  favors,  or  even  recogni 
tion  from  the  great,  but  found  plenty  of  delight  in  the  cor 
dial  welcome  of  the  middle  classes. 

In  the  month  of  February  I  visited  Stockholm,  in  company 
with  my  friend  Nils  Bengtson.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had 
been  there,  and,  like  all  other  travelers,  I  was  charmed  with 


110  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

the  beautiful  city,  and  its  gay  and  festive  life.  The  parlia 
ment  (Riksdag)  was  in  session,  and  as  a  liberal  from  America 
I  was  received  with  great  cordiality  by  the  liberal  party. 
One  grand  dinner  and  two  evening  parties  were  given  b}- 
some  of  its  members  in  my  honor,  at  which  some  of  the  most 
distinguished  liberal  members  of  parliament  were  present. 
Of  course  numerous  toasts  were  proposed  and  speeches 
made,  in  one  of  which  I  was  called  upon  for  my  views  on  the 
Swedish  militia  as  corresponding  largely  to  the  lately  dis 
banded  volunteer  army  of  the  United  States. 

There  was  quite  a  famine  in  some  of  the  Swedish  provinces 
that  winter,  and  when  the  government  asked  the  parliament 
for  an  appropriation  of  several  millions  for  carrving  on  field 
maneuvers  of  the  army  the  coming  season,  the  liberals  made  a 
strong  opposition,  preferring  to  use  the  money  on  some  pub 
lic  improvement  in  the  famished  provinces.  Of  course  I  ex 
pressed  my  sympathy  strongly  in  favor  of  the  volunteer  or 
ganizations  and  against  the  proposed  maneuvers  of  the 
regulars.  A  few  days  afterward  my  words  were  quoted  in 
the  parliament,  and  gave  rise  to  a  spirited  correspondence  in 
one  of  the  Stockholm  conservative  newspapers. 

Returning  to  Skane  I  found  myself  besieged  by  people  who 
wished  to  accompany  me  back  to  America  in  the  spring.  Hav 
ing  visited  my  wife's  relatives  at  Ballingslof,  and  enjoyed 
their  hospitality,  and  made  some  trips  to  Wermland,  Gothen 
burg,  Lund  and  Copenhagen,  I  spent  the  rest  of  my  time 
-with  friends  in  Christianstad,  Ljungby  and  Onnestad. 

Having  been  for  many  years  a  Free  Mason  in  America, 
and  advanced  to  the  highest  degrees  in  that  order,  I  was 
received  in  great  state  and  full  ceremony  into  the  provincial 
lodge  at  Christianstad,  and  on  Good  Friday,  if  I  remember 
right,  I  had  the  honor  of  marchingin  the  Masonic  procession 
between  the  .two  highest  Masons  of  the  province,  the  aged 
brothers,  SBarons  'Rolamb,  wearing  their  gorgeous  uniforms, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  Ill 

while  I  was  dressed  only  in  a  plain  black  dress  suit.  The 
procession  marched  from  the  lodge  to  the  chapel,  only  half  a 
block  distant  on  the  same  street,  but  a  great  crowd  had 
gathered  to  see  the  mystic  order,  and  I  noticed  many  mani 
festations  of  satisfaction  among  the  masses  at  the  honor 
bestowed  upon  me,  while  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  some 
of  the  uniformed  brethren  silently  choked  down  a  grudge 
over  the  plain  citizen  whom  the  strict  rules  of  the  order,  for 
that  day  at  least,  had  placed  in  a  higher  position  than  most 
of  them  could  ever  hope  to  attain. 

Time  passed  swiftly,  and,  as  the  crowds  of  intending  emi 
grants  were  increasing  daily,  it  was  found  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  one  steamer  to  carry  them  all,  so  I  went  early 
in  April  to  Helsingborg,  where  one  shipload  was  started  for 
Minnesota  under  the  leadership  of  Capt.  Lindberg,  a  veteran 
from  the  Anglo-Russian  and  the  American  war.  A  few  weeks 
later  I  followed  across  the  Atlantic  with  a  party  which  num 
bered  eight  hundred  people,  and  in  due  time  returned  to  my 
home  in  my  adopted  country. 

On  the  whole  that  first  visit  to  Sweden  was  exceedingly 
pleasant,  although  there  would  occasionally  come  up  disa 
greeable  incidents  whenever  America  was  the  subject  of 
discussion.  The  laboring  and  middle  classes  already  at  that 
time  had  a  pretty  correct  idea  of  America,  and  the  fate  that 
awaited  emigrants  there;  but  the  ignorance,  prejudice  and 
hatred  toward  America  and  everything  pertaining  to  it 
among  the  aristocracy,  and  especially  the  office  holders,  was 
as  unpardonable  as  it  was  ridiculous.  It  was  claimed  by 
them  that  all  was  humbug  in  America,  that  it  was  the  para 
dise  of  scoundrels,  cheats  and  rascals,  and  that  nothing  good 
could  possibly  come  out  of  it.  They  looked  upon  emigrants 
almost  as  criminals,  and  to  contradict  them  was  a  sure 
means  of  incurring  their  personal  enmity  and  even  insult. 

I  remember  a  conversation  at  an  evening  party  in  Nasby 


112  SIORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

between  a  learned  doctor  and  myself.  He  started  with  a 
proposition  that  it  was  wrong  to  leave  one's  native  country , 
because  God  has  placed  us  there,  and,  although  the  lot  of  the 
majority  might  be  very  hard,  it  was  still  their  duty  to 
remain  to  toil  and  pray,  and  even  starve,  if  necessary,  because 
we  owed  it  to  the  country  which  had  given  us  birth.  In 
reply  I  referred  to  one  of  the  first  commandments  of  the 
Bible,  that  men  should  multiply,  go  out  and  fill  up  the  earth ; 
that  if  it  were  wrong  for  Swedes  to  emigrate,  it  was  equally 
wrong  for  the  English,  the  Germans,  the  Spaniards  and  even 
our  progenitors,  the  ancient  Arians,  and  if  so,  what  would 
the  result  be?  Portions  of  this  bountiful  earth  would  be 
overcrowded,  privation,  crime,  bloodshed  and  misery  would 
follow,  while  other  continents  would  lie  idle.  If  it  had  been 
wrong  to  emigrate,  America,  which  to-day  is  the  larder  and 
granary  of  the  world,  would  have  remained  in  the  possession 
of  a  few  savages.  My  argument  was  of  no  avail;  the  doc 
tor,  otherwise  a  kind  and  humane  man,  would  rather  see  his 
poor  countrymen  subsist  on  bread  made  partly  out  of  bark, 
which  hundreds  of  them  actually  did  at  that  very  time  in 
one  of  the  Swedish  provinces,  than  have  them  go  to  America, 
where  millions  upon  millions  of  acres  of  fertile  lands  only 
awaited  the  labor  of  their  strong  arms  to  yield  an  abun 
dance,  not  only  for  themselves,  but  also  for  the  poor  mil 
lions  of  Europe. 

Hard  as  it  is  for  the  individual  to  change  habits  of  long  stand 
ing,  it  is  still  harder  for  nations  and  races  to  free  themselves 
from  prejudices  centuries  old,  especially  in  a  small  country 
like  Sweden,  isolated  from  the  great  nations  and  thoroughfares 
of  the  world.  The  importance  of  a  military  officer  in  Sweden 
dates  from  an  age  when  the  common  soldier  was  simply  an  igno 
rant  machine,  and  the  difference  between  "a  faithful  servant  of 
the  king "  and  a  common  mortal  was  immense.  The  common 
mortal  of  to-day,  however,  is  climbing  bravely  up  towards  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  113 

military  demi-god.  To  command  a  company,  or  even  a 
regiment,  in  modern  warfare,  especially  in  times  of  peace, 
requires  but  little  tact  and  skill  compared  with  former  times, 
when  such  commander  often  had  to  act  independently  and 
at  his  own  risk,  whereas  now  there  is  scarcely  any  branch 
of  business  which  does  not  require  more  talent  for  its  proper 
management  than  the  command  of  a  company  or  a  regiment. 
It  is  therefore  not  on  account  of  superior  merits,  but  on 
account  of  old  fogy  notions  and  prejudices  that  the  bureau 
cracy,  military  and  civil,  consider  themselves  to  be  of  such 
immeasurable  importance.  My  experience  in  life  has  taught  ^ 
me  that  individually  men  do  not  count  for  much  in  the  * 
world;  that  no  man  amounts  to  a  great  deal  by  himself; 
and  that  the  highest  as  well  as  the  lowest  is  dependent  largely 
upon  his  fellows. 

What  has  been  said  about  the  military  officers  applies,  in 
many  cases,  equally  well  to  the  civil  officers,  or  rather,  to  a 
class  of  men  holding  life  tenure  offices  in  the  civil  serv 
ice.  Just  now  civil  service  reform  is  the  question  in 
American  politics,  and  it  means  that  officers  in  the  civil 
service  shall  be  appointed  for  life.  I  have  always,  for  my 
part,  doubted  the  wisdom  of  this  reform,  because  I  have  seen 
so  much  evil  growing  out.  of  that  system  in  Sweden,  England 
and  India.  To  be  sure,  there  would  be  much  good  springing 
from  it,  but  it  is  very  questionable  whether  the  evil  results 
would  not  be  still  greater. 

We  Americans  hold  that  all  power  of  government  ema 
nates  from  the  people  (as  it  certainly  does  with  us),  and 
that  the  officers  of  the  government,  from  the  president  down 
to  the  village  constable,  are  merely  the  servants  of  the  peo 
ple,  whose  duty  it  is  to  enforce  the  laws  and  preserve  good 
order.  In  the  other  countries  named  it  is  still,  to  a  certain 
extent,  supposed  that  God  in  his  wisdom  appoints  the  ruler, 
that  all  power  lies  in  him,  and  that  whatever  privileges 


114  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

the  people  receive  come  as  favors  from  the  ruler.  The  influ 
ence  and  effect  of  these  two  ideas  are  as  different  in  all  the 
ramifications  of  the  system  as  the  ideas  themselves  are  irrec 
oncilable. 

In  America  the  humblest  citizen  goes  to  a  local,  state,  or 
United  States  official  with  head  erect  and  demands  that  such 
and  such  things  be  done,  according  to  the  law.  In  the  other 
countries  the  lowly  and  even  the  average  individual  comes 
before  the  magistrate  cringing  and  supplicating  for  his 
rights  as  for  a  favor.  Of  course  such  a  false  and  absurd  sys 
tem,  practiced  for  hundreds  of  years,  can  not  fail  to  leave  a 
strong  impression  both  upon  the  seekers  and  the  granters  of 
such  favors. 

To  me,  brought  up,  ever  since  my  boyhood,  under  the 
American  system,  the  importance  of  the  civil  officers  in 
Sweden  seemed  to  be  greatly  at  variance  with  the  progress 
made  in  the  elevation  of  the  people  in  general.  I  will  only 
take  one  example:  The  provincial  governor  (Landshof- 
ding)  and  his  immediate  subordinates  of  a  little  province  of 
the  size  of  half  a  dozen  of  our  counties,  appears  with  much 
more  pomp  and  style  than  any  of  the  governors  of  our  great 
states ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  such  a  governor  considers 
his  office  to  be  more  important  than  that  of  the  governors 
of  some  of  our  states,  each  of  which  has  a  population  larger 
than  that  of  the  smaller  kingdoms  of  Europe. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Importance  of  the  Scandinavian  Element— A  Sweie  Elected  Secretary 
of  State  in  Minnesota — False  -Rumors  of  Indian  Depredations — The 
Northern  Pacific  Railroad  is  Built— Trip  to  Philadelphia— The  National 
Convention  at  Indianapolis— Delegation  to  Washington — A  Swedish 
Colony  in  Mississippi  Moved  to  Minnesota — The  Second  Voyage  to 
Europe. 


Politically  the  Scandinavians  in  America  had  exerted  no 
particular  influence  beyond  that  they  had  generally  been 
counted  upon  as  loyal  to  the  Republican  party,  and  a  few  of 
them  had  held  county  offices  and  been  members  of  the  state 
legislatures  in  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota.  The  honor  of  first 
bringing  out  a  Scandinavian  for  a  state  office  belongs  to  F. 
S.  Christensen,  a  young  Dane,  who,  in  the  summer  of  1869, 
was  editor  of  Nordisk  Folkeblad  in  Rochester,  Minn. 
One  day  he  called  on  me  and  asked  if  I  would  be  candidate 
for  secretary  of  state,  providing  the  Scandinavians  of  Minne 
sota  should  nominate  me,  to  which  I  readily  assented.  A 
few  weeks  later  a  Scandinavian  convention  was  held  in 
Minneapolis  and  resulted  in  designating  me  as  their  choice 
for  secretary  of  state.  At  the  Republican  state  convention 
held  in  St.  Paul  in  September  that  year,  I  was  nominated 
almost  unanimously  by  the  whole  Republican  party.  Being 
called  to  the  platform  after  the  nomination,  I  accepted  the 
same  in  a  brief  speech,  which  at  the  time  attracted  much  at 
tention  as  echoing  the  sentiments  of  our  people  in  the  West. 

115 


116  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

I  therefore  regard  it  of  sufficient  importance  to  quote  it 

here: 

"Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Convention; 

"  Allow  me  to  tender  you  my  hearty  thanks  for  the  honor  you  have  con 
ferred  upon  rue  by  this  nomination.  I  feel  doublj'  gratified  for  the  very  large 
majority  you  gave  me.  The  time  does  not  admit  of  any  extensive  re 
marks  upon  my  part,  yet  so  much  has  been  said  lately  regarding  the  Scan 
dinavian  element,  that  the  subject,  perhaps,  requires  an  explanation  from 
me;  and,  as  the  chosen  representative  of  the  Scandinavian  people  of  this 
state  in  the  present  campaign,  I  am  authorized  to  express  their  views,  ai  d 
I  do  so  from  a  thorough  knowledge  of  them.  It  is  true  that  we  have  left 
our  beloved  land  ;  we  have  strewn  the  last  flowers  upon  the  graves  of  our 
forefathers,  and  have  come  here  to  sta3~,  come  here  to  live,  and  come  here  to  die. 
We  are  not  a  clannish  people,  nor  do  we  desire  to  build  up  a  Scandinavian 
nationality  in  your  midst.  You  have  known  us  here  for  many  years;  you 
have  seen  us  come  among  you  unacquainted  with  your  language  and  your 
customs,  and  yet  I  know  that  you  will  bear  me  witness  how  readily  and 
fraternally  we  have  mingled  with  you.  learned  jour  language  and  adopted 
your  ways,  and  how  naturally  our  children  grow  up  as  Americans,  side  by 
side  with  yours.  We  have  been  cordially  received  in  this  great  west  by  your 
own  pioneers,  and  have  become  prosperous  and  happy.  Yes,  we  love  this 
great  country  of  freedom,  and  we  wish  to  be  and  remain  Americans." 

Being  elected  a  few  weeks  later  by  a  large  majority,  I 
assumed  the  duties  of  secretary  of  state  on  the  1st  of  Janu 
ary,  3  870.  As  secretary  of  state  I  was  still  a  member  ex- 
officio  of  the  board  of  emigration,  and  had  charge  of  all  its 
work  and  correspondence,  which  amounted  often  to  a 
hundred  letters  a  day. 

In  the  month  of  June  following,  rumor  came  to  the  capitol 
of  a  new  Indian  outbreak  on  our  •western  frontier.  It  was 
said  that  Indians  had  come  in  the  night  and  committed 
depredations,  and  quite  an  alarm  was  caused  all  along  the 
frontier;  the  bloody  massacre  of  1862  was  still  fresh  in  the 
memories  of  our  people,  and  while  the  state  authorities  did 
not  believe  this  rumor,  we  deemed  it  necessary  to  take  meas 
ures  at  once  for  pacifying  the  people  by  protecting  the 
frontier.  Therefore  I  started  out  at  once  with  several  hun 
dred  stand  of  arms,  with  ammunition  and  authority  to 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  117 

oiganize  the  settlers  into  militia  companies  and  commission 
officers  for  the  same.  Selecting  a  few  friends  for  company 
and  aids,  we  went  by  rail  as  far  as  Benson,  Swift  county, 
thence  by  ox  teams  northward,  following  the  frontier  settle 
ments  to  the  northern  portion  of  Otter  Tail  county.  Four 
companies  of  militia  were  organized  and  officers  duly  ap 
pointed,  the  last  being  in  Otter  Tail  county,  with  a  Swedish 
count,  Ragnar  Railing,  as  captain.  This  prompt  action 
stopped  the  panic,  and  all  has  been  quiet  since  that  time. 
The  rumor  of  the  Indian  depredation  proved  to  have  origi 
nated  with  some  settlers  who,  in  the  disguise  of  Indians,  had 
tried  to  scare  away  a  Norwegian  from  a  claim  which  he  had 
taken  from  another  man. 

During  this  year  one  of  the  greatest  railroad  enterprises  in 
the  world  was  commenced,  namely,  the  building  of  the 
Northern  Pacific,  extending  from  Lake  Superior  to  the 
Pacific  coast,  a  distance  of  over  two  thousand  miles.  The 
celebrated  financier  Jay  Cooke,  of  Philadelphia,  who  had 
acquired  a  great  reputation  as  the  financial  agent  of  Presi 
dent  Lincoln's  administration  during  the  war,  was  at  the 
head  of  the  enterprise.  The  Northern  Pacific  Company  had 
received  a  government  grant  of  many  millions  of  acres  of 
land  along  the  proposed  railroad,  and  it  required  millions 
upon  millions  of  dollars  to  build  the  road.  One  of  the 
important  financial  questions  with  Jay  Cooke  was  how  to 
derive  a  revenue  from  the  sale  of  lands,  and  how  to  get 
settlers  and  communities  started  along  the  line  of  the  road. 
So  ignorant  were  the  people  of  this  country  about  the  region 
lying  within  the  limits  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad  that 
it  was  generally  supposed  to  be  either  barren  or  too  far 
north  for  successful  agriculture;  yet  that  very  region  has 
since  proved  to  be  the  greatest  wheat  producing  country  in 
the  world.  Mr.  Cooke  himself  had  been  all  over  it  with  a 
small  party,  under  the  escort  of  United  States  cavalry,  on 


118  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

an  exploring  tour,  and  he  was  perhaps  the  only  man  of  that 
day  who  foresaw  the  future  greatness  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
region. 

:.  Late  in  the  fall  of  1870  I  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Cooke, 
in  Philadelphia,  inviting  me  to  come  and  spend  a  week  with 
him  and  talk  over  the  new  Northwest.  Upon  the  advice 
of  ex-Gov.  Marshall,  who  had  spoken  of  me  to  Mr.  Cooke, 
the  then  Gov.  Austin  and  other  prominent  men,  I  repaired  to 
Philadelphia,  and  spent  some  days  at  Mr.  Cooke's  palatial 
residence  near  that  city.  He  had  also  for  guests  a  delegation 
of  French  and  German  bankers,  who  had  just  arrived  from 
Europe.  Mr.  Cooke  impressed  me  as  one  of  the  greatest 
and  noblest  men  I  had  ever  met.  His  enthusiasm  and  elo 
quent  arguments  carried  every  thing  before  him.  The  millions 
were  raised,  largely  in  Europe,  and  the  road  was  built,  as 
we  all  know.  The  result  of  my  conference  with  him  was  my 
permanent  engagement,  at  a  salary  more  than  twice  as 
large  as  that  I  had  from  the  state,  to  repair  to  Europe  in 
the  spring  as  agent  of  his  enterprise,  with  headquarters  in 
Sweden,  my  special  duties  being  to  make  known  in  the 
northern  countries  of  continental  Europe  the  resources  of 
the  Northern  Pacific,  particularly  the  park  region  in  Minne 
sota.  I  was  also  requested  by  Mr.  Cooke  to  draw  up  a 
general  plan  on  my  return  home  for  the  disposal  of  the 
company's  lands,  wrhich  I  did,  and  that  plan  was  adopted 
for  the  guidance  of  its  land  and  emigration  officers  and 
agents. 

In  the  month  of  December  a  national  convention  was  held 
in  the  city  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  for  the  purpose  of  devising 
measures  for  the  better  protection  of  emigrants  on  ocean 
steamers,  and  while  in  transit  through  this  country.  All  the 
states  interested  in  emigration  sent  delegates  to  that  con 
vention,  and  I  was  one  of  those  representing  our  state ;  my 
knowledge  and  experience  of  the  subject  at  issue  enabled  mp 


STORY  OP  AN  EM: GRANT.  119 

t  J  take  such  a  part  in  the  proceedings  that  at  the  close  of 
the  convention,  I  was  appointed  one  of  a  committee  of  five 
(Gov.  McCook,  of  Colorado,  State  Treasurer  Smith,  of  Wis 
consin,  Banker  Greenbaum,  of  Illinois,  and  a  leading  news 
paper  man  of  Philadelphia,  were  the  other  members)  to  draft 
a  law  for  the  protection  of  emigrants,  and  to  proceed  to 
Washington  and  lay  the  same  before  the  president  and  con 
gress.  There  I  had  an  opportunity  for  the  second  time  to 
meet  Gen.  Grant,  who  was  then  president.  I  spent  much 
time  with  him,  and  he  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  emigra 
tion  question.  The  result  of  our  work  was  the  passage  by 
the  United  States  congress  of  the  excellent  laws  in  relation 
to  emigration  which  still  remain  in  force. 

In  January,  1871,  the  state  legislature  of  Minnesota  again 
assembled.  The  senate  then  consisted  of  twenty-two  mem 
bers,  and  was  opened  and  organized  by  Lieut.  Gov.  Yale, 
and  the  house  of  representatives,  with  forty-seven  members, 
by  myself  as  secretary  of  state. 

During  that  winter  I  received  several  touching  letters  from 
Swedes  located  in  the  state  of  Mississippi.  They  were  part 
of  a  little  colony  which  had  gone  there  the  previous  year, 
direct  from  Sweden.  The  climate  was  unsuitable;  one-fifth 
of  the  people  had  already  died,  nearly  all  the  rest  were  sick, 
and  there  was  great  distress  and  misery  among  them.  They 
asked  me  to  get  them  away  into  the  healthy  climate  of  Min 
nesota.  They  were  entirely  destitute  of  means,  and  had  to 
be  placed  where  the  men  could  obtain  employment  when 
they  should  have  regained  sufficient  health  and  strength. 

The  Duluth  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  Company,  which  was 
then  a  part  of  Jay  Cooke's  system,  upon  my  request,  furnished 
the  necessary  means,  and  sent  Mr.  F.  S.  Christensen,  hereto 
fore  mentioned,  to  Mississippi  to  bring  the  party  to  St. 
Paul,  which  he  did  under  many  difficulties,  in  such  satisfac 
tory  manner  that  upon  his  return  he  received  an  appoint- 


120  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

ment  by  the  company  as  local  land  agent  at  Rush  City,  in 
which  position  he  remained  many  years.  He  is  now  presi 
dent  of  the  bank  at  that  place,  being  married  as  before 
stated,  to  my  niece,  the  little  Zelma,  whom  the  Indian 
squaws  were  so  fond  of  playing  with  in  the  old  log  cabin. 
The  little  colony  from  Mississippi  has  certainly  demonstrated 
that  the  northern  climate  is  by  far  the  best  for  the  northern 
people.  They  had  left  Sweden  strong,  robust  and  hopeful 
men  and  women ;  after  having  stayed  one  year  in  the  South 
they  arrived  in  Minnesota  pale,  poor  and  broken  down, 
lacking  strength  and  energy,  and  almost  without  hope. 

The  railroad  company  acted  most  generously  towards 
them.  It  built  them  comfortable  houses,  furnished  an 
abundance  of  provisions,  cooking  utensils  and  other  neces 
saries  ;  they  gave  the  men  employment  at  liberal  wages  as 
soon  as  they  were  able  to  work,  and  yet  many  of  those  very 
people  growled  and  complained  because  we  did  not  do  more 
for  them.  I  remember  distinctly  how  one  of  the  women, 
when  her  share  of  groceries  and  provisions  arrived,  was  per 
fectly  indignant  because  there  was  only  granulated  sugar, 
and  she  had  always  been  "used  to  drink  coffee  with  lump 
sugar  in  Sweden."  This  bad  trait  among  newly  arrived  em 
igrants  from  any  country  is  very  common,  gratitude  and 
contentment  being  exceptional  the  first  year  or  two,  as  all 
will  testify  who  have  had  anything  to  do  with  them.  It 
really  seems  that  the  more  that  is  done  for  them  the  less  sat 
isfied  they  are.  I  am  glad  to  say,  however,  that  after  a  few 
years  they  get  over  this  bad  fault,  and  so  did  the  little  party 
from  Mississippi,  most  of  whom  have  all  of  late  years  re 
pented  and  even  apologized  for  their  former  folly  and  ingrat 
itude.  They  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  large  Swedish  settle 
ment  west  of  Rush  City,  now  one  of  the  most  prosperous  in 
the  state. 

After  the  close  of  the  legislature  in  the  spring  of  1871 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  121 

preparations  were  made  for  carrying  out  my  agreement  with 
Jay  Cooke  to  go  to  Europe  for  an  indefinite  time.  Having 
been  criticised  by  some  of  my  countrymen,  for  resigning  the 
office  of  secretary  of  state  at  that  time,  I  owe  them  tre 
following  explanation :  First :  Personally,  I  was  compa-  a 
tively  poor,  and  the  salary  which  I  received  from  the  go  • 
ernment,  with  the  great  draw-backs  for  all  sorts  of  charities 
and  public  enterprises,  which  an  official  in  that  position  has 
to  meet,  was  insufficient  to  support  me  and  my  family,  and 

I  considered  that  I  had  the  same  rights  as  any  other  citizen 
to  better  my  pecuniary  condition,  which  I  did  by  accept *ng 
the  offer  of  Jay  Cooke.    Secondly:  It  was  of  greater  impor 
tance  to  the  public,  and  I  could  render  better  service  to  the 
state  at  this  period  of  its  early  development,  as  agent  for  a 
great  railroad  company,  which  fact  was  fully  recognized  by 
our  leading  public  men,  and  it  was  with  their  advice  and  at 
their  earnest  request  that  I  took  the  step.     I  accordingly 
tendered  my  resignation  to  the  governor  of  our  state,  but 
he,  out  of  pclite  consideration,  preferred  that  I  should  take 
a  leave  of  absence  until  fall,  when  the  people  would  have  an 
opportunity  at  the  political  convention,  to  designate  my 
successor,  and  wrote  me  the  following  letter: 

"  STATE  OF  MINNESOTA, 
"  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT. 
"St.  Paul,  May  25,  1871. 

II  Col  H.  Matron,  Secretary  of  State: 

"  Dear  Sir:  Learning  that  it  is  your  intention,  on  taking  your  departure 
for  Europe,  to  resign  your  office  of  secretary  of  state,  allow  me  to  ask  you 
to  reconsider  that  resolution.  You  will  leave  a  very  competent  deputy, 
perfectly  acquainted  with  all  the  duties  of  the  office,  and  in  whose  integ 
rity,  as  well  as  in  his  honesty,  the  public  have  unlimited  confidence.  Within 
a  few  montiis  your  successor  will  be  indicated  by  the  delegates  chosen  by 
the  people,  comprising  the  dominant  party  of  the  state,  and  then  he  may 
be  appointed,  if  you  are  to  resign  at  all,  with  no  uncertainty  as  to  the 
popular  choice  of  the  individual  who  should  fill  that  important  post.  For 
t1  cse  reasons  I  hope  you  will  conclude  to  withhold  your  resignation,  at 


122  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

least  for  the  present.  I  most  cordially  wish  you  a  pleasant  journey  to  the 
field  of  your  new  labors,  great  success  there,  and  a  safe  return  to  the  land 
you  have  served  and  loved  so  well. 

"^yery  truly  yours, 

"HORACE  AUSTIN,  Governor." 

It  is  true  that  even  after  the  state  convention  the  governor 
did  not  appoint  my  successor,  but  preferred  to  leave  the 
office  nominally  in  my  hands  in  charge  of  my  very  able 
assistant,  the  Hon.  Pennock  Pusey,  until  the  end  of  the 
term,  so  that  in  fact  I  did  not  resign,  but  kept  my  office  dur 
ing  the  whole  term  for  which  I  had  been  elected. 

In  the  last  week  of  May  I  left  for  Sweden  the  second  time, 
taking  my  family  with  me.  The  journey  passed  very  pleas 
antly  over  England,  Germany  and  Denmark.  We  arrived  in 
Hamburg  in  the  morning  of  the  day  when  the  Hamburgian 
troops  returned  under  Prince  Carl  from  the  Franco-Prussian 
war,  and  made  a  triumphant  entry  into  the  city,  being  re 
ceived  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm  by  the  whole  populace. 
It  was  indeed  a  grand  sight,  as  i.l\  these  troops  marched  by 
our  hotel,  men  and  horses  literally  covered  with  wreaths, 
flowers  and  bouquets,  thrown  over  them  by  the  grateful 
people.  On  this  journey  I  carried  important  business  letters 
from  leading  railroad  men  in  Minnesota  to  some  capitalists 
in  Holland,  who  had  advanced  several  million  dollars  for  the 
construction  of  railroads  in  our  state.  I  mention  this, 
because  it  paved  my  -way  to  very  important  business  connec 
tions  with  prominent  Hollanders  a  few  years  afterward. 

Shortly  before  entering  upon  this  journey,  a  private  bank 
ing  and  foreign  exchange  business  was  established  in  St. 
Paul  under  the  firm  name  of  H.  Mattson  &  Co.  My  partners 
were  Consul  H.  Sahlgaard  and  A.  T.  Lindholm,  who  success 
fully  managed  the  business  during  my  absence.  A  few  years 
later  this  affair  was  merged  into  the  St.  Paul  Savings  Bank, 
of  which  Mr.  Sahlgaard  became  the  cashier,  while  Mr.  Lind 
holm  and  myself  both  wit hdrew.  The  banking  firm  H.  Matt- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  123 

son  &  Co.  was  one  of  the  first  firms  that,  as  agent  for  the 
Cunard  Line,  introduced  the  system  of  prepaid  steamship 
tickets  from  Europe  to  America,  which  has  gradually  gained 
the  confidence  of  the  people,  and  developed  into  a  very 
extensive  and  important  business. 


CHAPTER  XL 

In  Sweden  Again— Reception  at  My  Old  Home — Visit  to  Northern  Sweden— 
I        Field  Maneuvers  in  Sweden — The  Opening  of  Parliament— In  Norway- 
Visit  in  Stockholm  — Royal  Palaces— The  Gota  Canal  — A  Trip  to  Fin 
land  and  Russia — King  Oscar  II. — A  Trip  to  Dalarne  in  the  Winter. 


On  June  21,  1871,  I  landed  a  second  time  in  my  native 
country  at  Malmo.  As  already  stated,  I  was  this  time 
accompanied  by  my  wife  and  children,  and  intended  to  remain 
in  Europe  several  years,  which  we  also  did. 

At  Hessleholm  we  were  met  by  relatives  and  friends  who 
conducted  us  to  the  old  city  of  Christianstad,  where  we  were 
to  make  our  home.  The  early  part  of  the  beautiful  northern 
summer  we  spent  in  visiting  friends  and  kinsmen.  Entertain 
ments,  excursions  and  festivities  of  all  kinds  alternated  con 
tinually.  The  kindness  and  hospitality  of  the  people  knew 
no  bounds,  and  no  matter  how  defective  some  of  the  old 
institutions  of  Sweden  may  be  they  are  in  my  opinion  more 
than  counterbalanced  by  the  many  beautiful  and  noble  traits 
of  character  of  the  people,  which  we  observed  everywhere, 
and  which  are  faithfully  stored  up  in  our  hearts  and  minds, 
so  that  we  always  find  a  great  delight  in  looking  back  to 
those  days. 

Having  spent  a  large  portion  of  the  summer  in  this  man 
ner,  I  started  in  the  month  of  August  on  a  tour  to  the  north 
ern  part  of  the  country,  visiting  Stockholm,  Upsala,  Gefle, 
Hudiksvall,  and  several  other  places.  This  was  my  first  op- 

124 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  125 

pcrtunity  to  see  the  beautiful  scenery  of  northern  Sweden, 
the  fine,  quiet  bays,  the  magnificent  lakes,  the  pleasant  valleys, 
the  green  hills,  the  mountains  dark  with  pine  forests,  all  of 
which  contribute  to  make  the  scenery  of  Norrland  so  varied 
and  attractive. 

In  the  fall  I  returned  to  southern  Sweden,  and  had  an  op 
portunity  to  witness  the  field  maneuvers  of  the  largest  por 
tion  of  the  Swedish  army,  and  also  to  meet  the  popular  king 
Charles  XV.  The  maneuvers  were  very  fine,  but,  in  my  opin 
ion,  the  troops  could  not  have  endured  a  long  campaign, 
with  its  exhaustive  marches  and  hardships.  The  soldiers 
complained  loudly  of  fatigue,  and  quite  a  number  of  them 
were  taken  sick  after  the  march  of  only  fourteen  to  eighteen 
miles,  although  the  weather  was  fine,  cool,  and  bracing. 
Compared  with  our  American  army  during  the  late  war,  when 
marches  of  twice  that  distance  were  quite  frequent,  the 
Swedish  army  was  inferior;  but  these  weak  points  would 
probably  soon  be  remedied  by  practice  in  actual  warfare. 

After  having  seen  King  Charles  I  was  no  longer  astonished 
at  his  great  popularity  among  the  people.  There  was  some 
thing  about  him  which  seemed  to  electrify  and  charm  every 
one  who  came  within  the  circle  of  his  personal  influence.  I 
saw  him  again  the  following  winter  at  the  opening  of  par 
liament  in  Stockholm.  With  all  due  respect  for  old  Swedish 
customs  and  manners,  I  cannot  but  compare  this  pageant  to 
a  great  American  circus — minus  the  menagerie,  of  course. 
I  would  like  to  describe  this  serio-comical  demonstration 
for  the  benefit  of  my  American  readers ;  but  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  I  can  no  longer  remember  the  titles  of  the  different 
officers,  heralds,  guards,  lackeys,  pages,  etc., — all  of  them 
dressed  in  the  most  gorgeous  costumes,  some  of  them  preced 
ing,  others  following  the  king  and  the  royal  princes,  who 
were  adorned  with  all  the  mediaeval  clap-trap  insignia  of 
royalty,  and  wrapped  in  huge  mantles  of  gay  colors,,  and 


126  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

with  long  trains  borne  by  courtiers  or  pages.  We  can  com 
prehend  the  importance  of  a  display  of  this  kind  a  couple  of 
centuries  ago,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  common  sense  of 
our  times  demands  its  abolishment,  and  unless  I  am  very 
much  mistaken  King  Charles  himself,  who  was  a  practical 
and  sensible  man,  was  of  the  same  opinion. 

The  same  winter  I  made  a  visit  to  Norway,  which  was 
repeated  the  following  summer.  The  social  and  political 
conditions  of  the  country  reminded  me  some  what  of  America, 
Norway  being  ahead  of  Sweden  in  that  respect,  and  I  am 
not  surprised  that  the  Norwegians  are  proud  of  their  beauti 
ful  country. 

One  of  my  most  pleasant  journeys  in  Europe  was  a  trip 
which  I  took  in  company  -with  wife  and  children  in  the  early 
part  of  the  summer  of  1872.  On  this  trip  we  went  through 
the  lovely  province  of  Sodermanland,  and  thence  by  rail  to 
Stockholm,  w^here  we  met  many  old  friends  and  acquain 
tances.  Midsummerday  was  celebrated  in  the  circle  of  a 
number  of  happy  friends  at  Hasselbakken,  and  on  the  follow 
ing  days  we  made  repeated  visits  to  the  enchanting  surround 
ings  of  the  capital.  On  one  of  these  outings  to  Drot- 
ningholm,  a  summer  palace,  we  met  other  American 
tourists,  and  I  remember  distinctly  how  we  all  agreed  that 
this  was  just  the  locality  for  some  charitable  institution, 
where  the  unfortunate  poor  and  suffering  members  of  society 
could  be  taken  care  of,  as,  for  instance,  a  home  for  old 
widows,  or  orphans,  or  old  men  who  have  served  their 
country  faithfully  in  peace  or  war,  but  have  been  reduced  to 
poverty  in  their  old  age.  As  a  contrast  to  Drotningholm  we 
pictured  in  our  minds  the  Soldiers'  Home  near  Washington, 
where  Abraham  Lincoln  had  a  few  rooms,  and  found  rest 
and  recreation  among  trees  and  flowers,  and  it  seemed  to  us 
that  -some  of  the  country  palaces  of  Sweden  might  just  as 
well  be  used  for  a  similar  purpose. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  127 

Having  remained  in  Stockholm  for  some  time,  -we  directed 
our  course  southward,  by  way  of  the  Gota  canal,  past 
Motala,  Trollhattan,  and  Gothenburg.  How  great,  how 
delightful,  how  glorious !  Dull  and  coarse  must  that  man  or 
woman  be  who  can  make  this  trip  without  being  proud  of 
the  sons  of  Sweden  and  their  peaceful  avocations.  In  school 
I  had  read  the  history  of  Sweden,  but  it  treated  chiefly  of 
warfare  and  of  the  exploits  of  the  kings,  only  incident 
ally  touching  the  achievements  of  peaceful  work  and  the 
development  of  social  and  moral  culture,  which,  in  my 
opinion,  are  of  supreme  importance,  and  deserve  the  great 
est  honor.  But  then,  it  must  be  remembered  that  Swedish 
history  was  at  that  time  written  with  the  assumption  that 
royalty  and  a  few  warriors  are  the  sun  and  the  stars  around 
which  the  whole  people  and  the  country  revolve,  and  from 
which  they  received  their  light  and  value.  A  better  time  has 
now  dawned  on  Sweden,  and  even  common  people  are 
acknowledged  to  have  a  certain  inherent  \vorth.  Still  I  am 
afraid  it  will  take  some  time  before  old  prejudices  can  be  dis 
pelled. 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  I  took  a  trip  through  Finland 
and  Russia,  having  secured  a  passport  issued  by  Gen.  C.  C. 
Andrews,  who  was  then  United  States  minister  in  Stock 
holm.  I  went  with  the  steamer  Aura  from  Stockholm  to 
j^bo,  Helsingfors,  and  Cronstadt.  The  pine-clad  islands  and 
shores  of  the  Bay  of  Finland  afforded  a  beautiful  panorama 
from  the  steamer.  The  sight  of  Sveaborg  made  me  feel  that 
I  was  still  a  Swede  in  soul  and  heart,  for  I  was  overpowered 
by  a  deep  sadness  when  I  thought  of  the  heinous  treason  by 
which  this  impregnable  fortress  was  forced  to  surrender. 

I  spent  several  days  in  St.  Petersburg,  during  which  I  took 
in  the  chief  sights  of  this  grand  city,  such  as  St.  Isaacs'  church, 
the  monument  to  Peter  the  Great,  the  winter  palaces,  etc. 
It  happened  to  be  the  anniversary  of  the  coronation  of  the 


128  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Czar,  and  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  magnificent  mili 
tary  parade  arrayed  for  the  occasion.  My  American  pass 
port  opened  all  doors  to  me  wherever  I  tried  to  enter,  and  I 
was  treated  with  the  greatest  politeness  by  military  as  well 
as  civil  authorities.  To  an  uninitiated  eye  my  personal  lib 
erty  and  independence  seemed  just  as  great  here  as  in  Wash 
ington  ;  but  that  was  not  the  case,  for  I  knew  that  my  every 
step  was  being  closely  watched. 

One  da}'  my  guide  conducted  me  to  a  place  in  one  of  the 
suburbs,  where  some  hundred  prisoners  were  starting  on 
their  long  journey  to  Siberia.  He  also  conducted  me  to  the 
Church  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  where  the  Russian  Czars 
are  crowned  and  buried;  and  through  the  fortress  and 
prison,  in  whose  moist,  murky  dungeons  the  political  pris 
oners  hear  the  great  bell  in  the  steeple  striking  the  hour,  and 
the  watchman  crying  his  monotonous,  "  God  save  the  Czar," 
while  from  year  to  year  the  victims  of  despotism  suffer  and 
languish,  often  on  a  mere  suspicion,  and  without  a  fair  trial, 
until  death  finally  puts  an  end  to  their  sufferings.  What  is 
the  reason  that  politically  Russia  has  always  been  on  the 
most  friendly  terms  with  the  United  States?  How  can  liberty 
and  the  rankest  tyranny  have  anything  to  do  with  each 
other?  This  has  always  been  a  riddle  to  me.  I  despise  the 
friendship  of  a  despotism  like  that  of  Russia,  where  the  gov 
ernment  orders  innocent  men  and  women  to  be  seized  in  the 
silence  of  the  night,  torn  away  from  their  homes  and  fami 
lies,  incarcerated  in  dungeons,  and  subjected  to  bodily  tor 
ture  and  social  disgrace  simply  because  they  are  suspected  of 
having  expressed  or  cherished  liberal  ideas. 

Returning  to  Sweden  by  way  of  Finland  I  remained  a  few 
days  at  Helsingfors.  Having  presented  my  passport  to  the 
authorities  of  the  city,  the  commander  of  the  garrison  sent 
an  officer  inviting  me  to  visit  the  barracks  and  other  places 
of  interest.  I  accepted  the  invitation  and  spent  two  days 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  129 

under  the  guidance  of  my  cicerone.  This  was  of  course  a 
rare  treat,  and  it  brought  me  in  contact  with  many  promi 
nent  citizens  and  officers.  We  also  took  a  ride  out  in  the 
country  to  see  the  condition  of  the  peasants.  In  common 
with  all  other  Swedes  I  have  always  sympathized  with  un 
fortunate  Finland,  in  the  belief  that  its  people  must  be  very 
unhappy  and  yearn  for  a  reunion  with  Sweden.  This  proved 
to  be  a  great  misconception.  What  a  peculiar  contradic 
tion!  The  Russian  despots  treat  the  Fins  with  generosity 
and  justice,  and  as  far  as  I  could  understand,  the  people  were 
highly  pleased  with  Russian  supremacy,  and  -would  not  be 
come  subjects  of  Sweden  again,  even  if  they  could.* 

The  following  winter  I  had  the  honor  of  meeting  King 
Oscar,  of  Sweden,  at  the  funeral  solemnities  arranged  by  the 
grand  lodge  of  Free  Masons  on  the  occasion  of  the  death  of 
King  Charles  XV.  I  have  attended  quite  a  number  of  official 
gatherings  of  different  kinds  in  different  countries,  and  seen 
persons  vested  with  the  highest  authority  conducting  the 
same,  but  as  to  true  dignity  and  lofty  majesty,  King  Oscar 
excelled  them  all.  When  I  compare  him  with  the  czar  of  all 
the  Russias,  or  compare  iho  condition  of  the  Swedes  with 
that  of  their  Russian  neighbors,  I  thank  God  for  my  old 
native  land  and  its  noble  king. 

Of  my  numerous  trips  in  Sweden  I  must  mention  one  in 
particular,— a  journey  by  sleigh,— in  company  with  my  old 
friend  Karl  M oilers vard,  from  Upsala  to  Gefle,  and  from 
Falun  south,  through  Dalarne,  past  Smedjebacken,  and  the 
lakes  below  this  to  Vesteras.  The  beauty  of  the  country  of  a 
northern  clime  does  not  show  itself  in  its  entire  splendor 
until  dressed  in  the  garb  of  winter.  The  branches  of  the 
mighty  pines  loaded  down  by  the  dazzling  snow;  millions  of 
snow  crystals,  more  beautiful  than  diamonds,  glittering  from 

*  Since  the  above  -was  -written  the  Russian  government  has  shown  a  dispo 
sition  to  treat  Finland  in  a  way  that  will  soon  change  the  friendly  feelings  of  the 
Finnish  people. 


130  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

every  twig  as  the  sun  sends  its  first  morning  rajs  through 
the  forests;  the  picturesque  costumes  of  the  peasantry;  the 
comfortable  inns  with  their  fine  dishes  of  northern  game; 
the  neat  sleighs  drawn  by  small,  swift,  sure-footed  horses ; 
here  and  there  a  smelting  furnace  or  a  country  church. —  all 
these  things  combined  left  en  rny  mind  a  picture  of  rural 
life  more  quiet,  happy  and  beautiful  than  I  had  ever  seen 
before. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Visit  in  Minnesota  and  Philadelphia— Conversation  with  Jay  Cooke— The 
Crisis  of  1873 — Negotiations  in  Holland — Draining  of  a  Lake  inSkane— 
Icelandic  Colony  in  Manitoba— Return  to  America. 


In  the  spring  of  1873  I  returned  to  Minnesota  in  company 
with  a  large  number  of  immigrants.  Being  anxious  to  have 
my  children  learn  the  Swedish  language,  I  left  my  family  in 
Sweden  where  the  children  attended  school.  They  spent  this 
summer  at  Ronneby  watering  place,  where  the  surroundings 
are  characteristic  of  the  mild  and  pleasant  scenery  of  south 
ern  Sweden. 

In  traveling  from  the  Atlantic  to  Minnesota  we  came  by 
way  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Sault  St.  Marie  canal. 
Having  spent  a  couple  of  months  in  Minnesota  I  returned 
to  Europe  again  via  Philadelphia,  New  York  and  Quebec. 
The  reader  may  remember  that  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad 
was  building  at  that  time,  and  that  Jay  Cooke,  by  means 
of  his  enthusiasm  and  great  popularity,  had  succeeded  in  rais 
ing  large  sums  of  money  for  this  stupendous  enterprise.  The 
Union  Pacific  railroad,  south  of  us,  was  already  in  opera 
tion,  and  its  owners,  fearing  the  competition  of  the  new 
road,  had  resorted  to  all  conceivable  schemes  to  undermine 
the  confidence  of  the  public  in  the  Northern  Pacific  road  and 
its  promoters.  Many  of  those  who  had  furnished  money 
began  to  feel  uneasy,  but  Jay  Cooke  went  ahead,  full  of  hope 
and  confidence  in  its  final  success.  Just  as  I  called  at  his  pri- 

131 


132  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

vate  office  in  Philadelphia  in  August,  one  of  his  bookkeepers 
handed  him  a  card  from  a  prominent  moneyed  man  in  Phila 
delphia  who  wished  to  see  him,  and  the  following  conversa 
tion  took  place  between  the  two : 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you,  my  friend  ?  "  Jay  Cooke  said. 

"We  begin,"  said  the  capitalist,  "to  lose  confidence  in  your 
railroad  schemes.  I  have  bought  $20,000  worth  of  bonds, 
but  I  am  getting  a  little  afraid,  and  came  to  ask  your 
advice." 

"My  dear  sir,  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  bonds  are  just 
as  safe  as  United  States  bonds," 

"If  this  is  your  conviction,  will  you  please  exchange  them 
for  my  bonds?" 

"Certainly.  Here;  give  this" — he  handed  him  a  slip  of  pa 
per  with  a  few  lines  on  it — "to  my  cashier,  and  he  will  give 
you  United  States  bonds  in  exchange." 

The  gentleman  -withdrew  perfectly  satisfied,  and  Jay 
Cooke  turned  to  me  with  the  following  explanation:  "I 
have  seen  the  Northern  Pacific  country;  that's  the  reason  I 
am  so  confident  in  the  success  of  this  railroad  enterprise.  If 
we  only  succeed  in  accomplishing  the  work,  I  shall  certainly 
prove  that  I  was  right ;  but  if  we  fail,  our  antagonists  will 
get  a  grist  to  their  mill.  But,  whatever  the  result  may  be, 
no  one  shall  have  a  right  to  say  that  I  did  not  stake  my  fort 
une  on  my  conviction." 

The  same  day  I  left  Philadelphia  for  Europe,  but  I  had 
scarcely  reached  Sweden  when  the  great  crisis  came.  Jay 
Cooke,  whose  fortune  was  estimated  at  twenty  million  dol 
lars,  was  a  ruined  man.  The  work  on  the  Northern  Pacific 
railroad  was  suddenly  stopped,  and  the  obligations  of  the 
company  depreciated  to  almost  nothing.  We  all  remember 
the  terrible  crisis  that  followed.  Thousands  of  people  were 
ruined,  and  the  whole  country  suffered  one  of  the  most  dis 
astrous  financial  crises  of  modern  times.  My  own  loss  was 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  133 

a  very  hard  blow  to  me,  not  merely  because  I  lost  my  posi 
tion,  but  because  my  property  in  Minnesota,  which  consisted 
exclusively  of  real  estate,  stock  and  farm  products,  lost  its 
val  ue.  This  catastrophe  was  chiefly  due  to  business  jealousy, 
and  there  was  no  real  cause  for  the  panic,  which  was  also 
clearly  proven  afterward.  The  Northern  Pacific  railroad 
has  now  been  completed,  and  has  proven  to  possess  all  the 
merits  which  Jay  Cooke  claimed  for  it.  Its  obligations  are 
again  above  par.  Jay  Cooke  has  paid  every  dollar  of  his 
debt,  with  interest,  and  again  lives  in  affluence  and  luxury, 
respected  and  honored  by  the  whole  country. 

Returning  to  Sweden  I  passed  through  Holland,  which 
country  I  had  visited  a  couple  of  times  before,  as  already 
mentioned.  I  carried  important  business  letters  from  the 
leading  men  of  the  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  Railroad  Company, 
now  known  as  the  Great  Northern  Railroad  Company.  Dutch 
capitalists  had  advanced  the  money — about  twenty  million 
dollars — for  building  this  road.  The  company  had  received 
very  extensive  land  grants  from  the  United  States  govern 
ment;  but  during  the  first  few  years  after  the  construction 
of  the  road  to  Breckenridge  the  country  through  which  it 
passed  was  so  sparsely  settled  that  the  traffic  of  the  road 
was  insufficient  to  pay  its  running  expenses,  hence  their  stocks 
and  obligations  depreciated  very  much  in  value.  But  the 
American  railroad  officials  with  whom  I  had  been  connected 
in  the  capacity  of  land  agent  were  firmly  convinced  that  if 
this  road  could  be  extended  about  thirty  miles  to  the 
Northern  Pacific  railroad,  and  a  little  more  time  allowed  for 
the  settlement  of  the  country  along  the  line,  the  enterprise 
would  pay  a  handsome  dividend.  It  was  my  task  to  explain 
this  to  the  Dutch  capitalists,  and  persuade  them  to  advance 
another  $150,000— a  mere  trifle  compared  with  what  they 
had  invested  already — to  build  said  extension,  which  was  to 
pass  through  a  perfectly  level  country.  The  president  of  the 


134  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

company,  George  L.  Becker,  and  its  land  commissioner, 
Herman  E.  Trott,  had  previously  visited  Holland  on  the 
same  business.  But  all  our  representations  were  in  vain. 
The  Dutch  were  stubborn,  and  would  not  give  out  another 
dollar.  "It  is  of  no  use,"  they  said,  "to  throw  away  a 
small  sum  of  good  money  after  a  large  sum  of  bad  money, 
for  it  is  all  lost,  anyway."  The  crisis  of  1873  aggravated 
the  situation  still  more,  for  this  company,  and  its  bonds 
were  continually  depreciating.  The  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  rail 
road  had  pledged  itself  to  accept  its  own  bonds  at  par  in 
payment  for  its  land,  and  as  I  and  others  had  sold  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  acres  of  this  land  to  new  settlers  on  credit, 
I  tried,  and  also  succeeded,  in  perfecting  an  arrangement 
with  the  Hollanders,  by  which  the  new  settlers  who  had 
purchased  land  on  credit,  were  allowed  to  buy  on  time  the 
bonds  of  the  company,  at  about  twenty -five  per  cent,  of 
their  face  value,  and  apply  the  same,  without  discount,  on 
their  debts  for  the  land,  a  method  of  liquidation  that  was 
highly  advantageous  to  the  settlers.  As  soon  as  this  was 
found  out  in  Minnesota,  bankers  and  other  capitalists  sent 
agents  to  Holland  to  make  similar  arrangements,  and,  in 
the  course  of  the  next  three  years,  a  brisk  business  was  done 
in  exchanging  those  bonds  for  land,  by  which  thousands  of 
settlers  saved  large  sums  of  money,  and  a  number  of  bankers 
and  agents  made  small  fortunes.  If  I  had  returned  to  Minne 
sota  immediately  I  could  have  realized  a  very  handsome  profit 
by  this  arrangement;  but  I  had  made  agreements  which  com 
pelled  me  to  stay  in  Sweden  some  length  of  time,  and  I  left 
this  business  in  the  hands  of  my  former  partner,  Consul 
Sahlgaard,  and  the  St.  Paul  Savings  Bank.  But  they  did 
not  grasp  the  importance  of  this  matter  until  it  was  too 
late,  and  the  lion's  share  of  the  profits  went  to  new  parties,, 
who  thus  reaped  the  benefit  of  my  plans,  as  is  often  the  case 
under  such  circumstances. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  135 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  the  subse 
quent  success  of  the  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  Railroad  proved  that 
Messrs.  Becker,  Trott,  and  myself  were  right,  and  if  the 
Dutch  bondholders  had  followed  our  advice  they  would  not 
only  have  saved  their  twenty  million  dollars,  but  also  made 
as  much  more.  The  bonds  continued  to  depreciate  to  almost 
nothing  until  the  company  was  declared  insolvent,  a  re 
ceiver  appointed,  and  very  expensive  legal  measures  were 
resorted  to,  until  finally  the  Dutch  became  disgusted  with 
the  whole  matter  and  transferred  all  their  interests  to 
an  American  syndicate  headed  by  J.  J.  Hill,  of  St.  Paul,  at 
present  the  well-known  Minnesota  railroad  king.  The  sum 
paid  was  a  mere  trifle.  Hill's  syndicate  procured  money  for 
building  the  connecting  link  and  completing  the  system. 
The  syndicate  made  twenty  million  dollars  by  this  transac 
tion,  and,  within  five  years  after  the  Dutch  had  sold  their 
bonds  for  a  mere  bagatelle  and  the  company  had  changed 
its  name  to  the  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis  &  Manitoba,  practi 
cally  the  same  bonds  were  sold  on  the  exchange  in  Amster 
dam  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar. 

The  only  profit  1  derived  from  my  connection  with  this  bus 
iness  was  that  I  gained  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
Dutch  capitalists,  who  very  soon  understood  that  they 
would  have  been  all  right  if  they  had  followed  my  advice. 
Therefore,  when  another  Dutch  company,  known  as  the 
Minnesota  Land  Company,  shortly  afterward  was  brought 
to  the  verge  of  ruin  by  mismanagement,  the  affairs  of  this 
company  were  intrusted  to  my  hands,  and  when  the  Max 
well  Land  Grant  Company  of  New  Mexico,  which  also  con 
sisted  of  Dutch  capitalists,  got  into  similar  trouble  they  ap 
pointed  me  American  manager  of  the  affairs  of  that  com 
pany,  to  which  I  shall  refer  further  on. 

Soon  after  my  return  to  Sweden  in  the  fall  of  1873  I 
became  interested  in  an  important  business  enterprise  near 


136  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

my  old  home.  A  few  years  before  this  a  number  of  English 
men  had  organized  a  stock  company  for  the  purpose  of 
draining  a  big  swamp,  and  a  lake  called  Hammarsjo,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Christianstad.  After  expending  a  large  sum  of 
money  the  company  failed  to  accomplish  the  undertaking. 
An  officer  in  the  Danish  army,  Captain  M.  Rovsing,  who  had 
had  experience  in  that  kind  of  work,  in  company  with  my 
self  bought  all  the  privileges  and  rights  as  well  as  the  plant 
and  material  of  the  English  company,  and  the  work  was 
completed  under  the  supervision  of  Captain  Rovsing  in  the 
latter  part  of  1875.  This  Captain  Rovsing  was  not  only  a 
firstclass  engineer,  but  also  an  able  and  good  man  in  other 
respects.  I  cannot  tell  whether  it  is  luck  or  something  else, 
but  it  is  certain  that  I  have  always  had  the  good  fortune  to 
enter  into  close  business  connections,  and  to  form  ties  of  inti 
mate  friendship,  with  persons  distinguished  by  the  highest 
sense  of  honor  and  integrity,  and  of  those  acquaintances 
Captain  Rovsing  occupies  one  of  the  foremost  places. 

During  a  part  of  this  time  I  also  contributed  some  time 
and  work  toward  colonizing  the  province  of  Manitoba, 
and  thereby  gave  an  impetus  to  the  establishment  of  the 
first  Icelandic  colony  in  the  Northwest. 

In  the  spring  of  1874?  we  moved  to  Gothenburg,  where  we 
sta}'ed  until  the  work  at  Hammersjo  was  completed,  and  in 
January,  1876,  we  said  good-bye  to  Sweden,  and  arrived 
in  America  after  a  stormy  voyage  of  nineteen  days  across 
the  Atlantic.  For  sixteen  days  the  storm  was  so  violent 
that  the  life-boats  and  everything  which  was  loose  on  the 
deck  was  swept  away  by  the  waves,  and  the  officers  serving 
during  the  night  had  to  lash  themselves  to  the  rigging  by 
ropes,  not  daring  to  rely  on  their  hands  and  feet. 

It  is  strange  how  easily  people  in  the  course  of  time  get 
used  even  to  the  most  unpleasant  circumstances.  This  was 
illustrated  in  a  striking  manner  by  the  few  cabin  passengers 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  137 

who  sat  packed  together  in  the  cabin  during  this  storm. 
After  a  couple  of  weeks  we  got  so  used  to  it  that  we  finally 
found  our  voyage  quite  endurable.  Still  we  were  very  glad 
when  the  beautiful  steamer  Circassian  of  the  Allan  Line 
brought  us  safely  to  shore  in  Portland,  Me.  A  few  days 
more  on  rail,  and  we  were  again  safe  and  sound  in  our  dea: 
Minnesota. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Grasshopper  Ravages  in  Minnesota— The  Presidential  Election— Choset 
Presidential  Elector— Minnesota  Stats  Tidaing—Svenska  Tribunen  in 
Chicago — Farm  in  Northwestern  Minnesota — Journalistic  Work. 


"The  world  do  move*'  nowadaj^s,  and  most  emphatically 
so  in  the  great  American  Northwest.  An  absence  of  four 
years  is  almost  enough  to  bury  one  out  of  sight,  at  least 
that  is  what  I  found  on  returning  to  Minnesota.  The  crisis 
of  1873  had  left  my  finances  in  anything  but  a  flourishing 
condition,  to  which  was  added  the  ravages  of  the  grasshop 
pers,  which  caused  considerable  losses  to  me  on  my  farm  at 
Litchfield,  that  being  about  the  only  property  I  then  owned. 

My  attention  was  soon  drawn  from  these  private  reverses 
to  public  affairs.  The  hist  steps  to%vard  re-entering  the 
field  of  politics  was  my  nomination  for  presidential  elector 
by  the  Republican  state  convention,  held  at  St.  Paul  in  the 
summer  of  1876.  At  the  request  of  the  Republican  state 
central  committee,  I  took  an  active  part  in  the  campaign 
that  followed,  as  in  fact  I  had  done  at  every  previous  election 
since  my  residence  in  this  state,  but  this  time  I  spent  the 
whole  autumn  in  making  a  thorough  political  canvass 
through  most  of  the  Scandinavian  settlements  in  the  state. 
During  that  canvass  it  was  my  good  fortune  for  a  long  time 
to  be  associated  with  the  late  William  Windom,  then  a 
United  States  senator,  and  afterward  twice  secretary  of  the 
treasury. 

Mr.  Windom  was  at  that  time  in  the  very  prime  of  his 

138 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  139 

noble  manhood;  his  fine  mental  and  physical  endowments 
made  him  an  object  of  love  and  veneration  among  the  peo 
ple.  Though  a  man  of  the  purest  character  and  exemplary 
life,  he  was  a  pleasant,  boon  companion,  fond  of  a  joke  and 
a  good  story,  liberal  and  charitable  in  his  judgment  of 
others,  easy  and  polite  in  his  manners,  open-hearted  and 
kind  toward  all.  He  was  a  large,  broad-shouldered  man, 
weighing  over  two  hundred  pounds,  with  a  high  forehead, 
dark  eyes,  and  smoothly  shaved  face.  As  a  speaker  he  was 
earnest,  though  quiet,  fluent  and  humorous.  He  never  used 
tobacco  or  spirits  in  any  form.  We  traveled  together  in  all 
sorts  of  conveyances,  and  held  meetings  in  country  stores 
and  school  houses  ;  ate  and  slept  in  the  lowly  cabins  of  the 
farmers,  but  everywhere  Mr.  Windom  felt  at  home,  and 
made  every  body  else  feel  at  ease  also.  I  was  afterward 
with  him  often  and  in  many  places, — from  the  executive 
mansion  in  Washington  to  the  frontier  cabin  in  the  west, — 
and  for  the  last  time  in  New  York  city,  when  he  went  there 
in  August,  1890,  to  save  the  nation  from  a  financial  crisis, 
but  never  did  I  notice  any  difference  in  his  conduct  toward 
the  humblest  laborer  or  the  highest  in  power.  In  sorrow 
and  adversity  he  was  a  tender  friend;  in  manners  he  was  a 
Chesterfield;  in  the  senate  a  Roman,  and  in  the  treasury 
department  a  Hamilton.  By  his  death  the  nation,  the  state 
of  Minnesota,  and  his  numerous  friends,  among  whom  for 
many  years  I  had  the  honor  to  be  counted,  sustained  a  heavy 
loss. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  campaign  I  commenced  to  pub 
lish  a  Swedish  weekly  newspaper  called  Minnesota  Stats 
Tidning,  in  Minneapolis,  to  which  place  I  had  just  removed 
with  my  family,  and  continued  as  its  chief  editor  until  the 
summer  of  1881. 

In  1877  friends  in  Chicago  and  myself  started  another 
Swedish  weekly,  called  Svenska  Tnbunen,  in  that  city,  and 


140  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

for  some  time  I  had  the  actual  management  of  both  papers, 
dividingmy  time  between  Minneapolis  and  Chicago.  My  aim 
in  this  journalistic  work  was  mainly  to  instruct  and  educate 
my  countrymen  in  such  matters  as  might  promote  their  well 
-being  and  make  them  good  Amerian  citizens.  The  Stats 
-•  Tidning,  or  at  least  a  part  of  it,  gradually  became  a  kind 
v  of  catechism  on  law  and  political  economy,  containing  infor 
mation  under  the  heading  " Questions  and  Answers."  This 
was  intended  especially  for  the  Swedish  farmers  in  the  state. 
If  a  farmer  was  in  doubt  as  to  his  legal  rights  in  the  case  of 
a  road,  a  fence,  the  draining  of  a  marsh,  or  wished  to  know 
how  to  cure  a  sick  horse  or  other  animal,  or  how  he  could 
get  money  sent  from  Sweden,  or  if  he  wished  advice  or 
information  on  any  other  question  relating  to  everyday 
life,  especially  if  he  got  into  trouble  of  some  kind,  he  would 
write  to  the  Stats  Tidning  for  the  desired  information. 
Such  letters  were  then  printed  in  condensed  form  and  fol 
lowed  by  short,  clear,  pointed  answers,  and,  so  far,  I  have 
not  heard  of  a  single  person  being  misled  by  those  answers. 
On  the  other  hand,  I  know  that  the  public,  and  more  es 
pecially  the  newcomers,  reaped  very  great  benefits  from 
them.  Few  persons  have  any  idea  of  how  irksome  and 
laborious  this  kind  of  journalism  is,  and  at  times  I  was  on 
the  point  of  giving  it  up  in  despair.  As  an  example  I  will 
relate  one  little  incident  connected  with  this  work.  A  farmer 
in  a  neighboring  county  had,  through  ignorance  of  the  home 
stead  law,  met  with  difficulties  in  securing  title  to  his  claim. 

-  As  usual  he  wrote  to  the  Stats  Tidning,  and  received  the 
\  desired  information  just  in  time  to  save  his  property,  which 

was  worth  over  $1,000.     On  a  visit  to  Minneapolis  a  short 

•  time  afterward  his  feeling  of  gratitude  directed  him  to  the 
office  of  the  paper  to  express  his  thanks.    In  a  conversation 
with  him  I  found  that  he  had  never  subscribed  for  the  paper 
himself,  but  was  in  the  habit  of  going  to  his  neighbor  everv 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  14-1 

Saturday  afternoon  to  read  it.  I  asked  if  it  would  not 
be  well  for  him  to  subscribe  for  it  also;  it  might 
happen  to  contain  useful  information  in  the  future, 
and  he  could  afford  to  pay  for  it.  To  this  he  answered: 
"No,  I  cannot  do  that,  for  I  have  not  much  time  to  read, 
and  if  I  want  to  read  I  have  some  back  numbers  of  a  church 
paper,  from  Sweden,  and  should  I  want  to  read  answers  to 
any  questions  I  can  borrow  a  copy  of  your  paper  from  my 
neighbor."  So  highly  did  this  good  and  pious  farmer,  from 
a  financial  point  of  view,  appreciate  information  which  had 
saved  him  his  home.  In  my  opinion  such  people  do  not  de 
serve  reproach,  but  sympathy  on  account  of  their  gross  ig 
norance.  It  is  also  a  fact,  that,  during  all  this  time,  the  in 
come  received  from  the  paper  did  not  cover  its  expenses,  and 
if  it  had  not  been  for  other  resources  the  enterprise  would 
have  failed  even  at  the  very  climax  of  its  popularity. 

After  five  years  of  untiring  journalistic  work  I  was  only 
too  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  sell  the  paper  in  the  spring  of 
1881  to  a  publishing  company,  which  soon  moved  the  plant 
to  St.  Paul.  My  former  associates,  Messrs.  Lunnow  and 
Soderstrom,  soon  after  commenced  the  publication  of  a  new 
Swedish  weekly,  called  Svcnska  Folkets  Tidning,  which  has 
now  a  larger  circulation  than  any  other  Swedish  paper  in 
our  state.  Having  sold  my  share  in  the  Svenska  Tribunen 
in  Chicago  a  few  years  before,  and  thus  being  no  longer  con 
nected  with  any  newspapers,  I  found  more  time  to  devote  to 
my  wheat  farm  in  the  Red  River  valley. 


r^f  -/ 

|g1 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

I  am  Appointed  Consul-General  to  India— Assassination  of  Garfield— De 
parture  for  India— My  Stay  in  Chicago  and  Washington— Paris  and 
Versailles — Rome— Naples — Pompeii — From  Naples  to  Alexandria — Inter 
esting  Acquaintances  on  the  Voyage— The  First  Impressions  in  Egypt. 


In  the  morning  papers  of  July  2,  1881,  a  telegram  from 
Washington  announced  that  President  Garfield  had  ap 
pointed  me  consul-general  to  India,  in  the  cabinet  meeting 
of  the  previous  evening.  The  same  telegram  also  announced 
that  the  president  had  left  Washington  for  New  England, 
where  he  intended  to  spend  his  summer  vacation  in  the 
country.  It  was  with  mingled  feelings  of  satisfaction  and 
misgiving  that  I  faced  the  opportunity  to  satisfy  my  long 
ing  to  see  the  wonderful  Orient,  especially  India,  in  which 
country  the  missionary  Dr.  Fjellstedt  had  aroused  my  child 
ish  interest,  as  stated  in  the  beginning  of  these  reminiscences. 
After  consulting  wife  and  children  concerning  this,  to  us,  im 
portant  news,  I  walked  down  town,  receiving  congratula 
tions  from  friends  and  acquaintances  on  the  way,  and, 
arriving  at  one  of  the  newspaper  offices,  I  found  a  large 
crowd  of  people  eagerly  reading  on  a  bulletin-board  a  dis 
patch  to  the  effect  that  President  Garfield  had  been  shot  by 
Guiteau.  The  news  caused  an  excitement  and  consternation 
almost  as  intense  as  that  produced  by  the  assassination  of 
Lincoln.  Telegrams  were  received  from  Washington  contin 
ually,  and  outside  the  newspaper  offices  were  placed  bulle- 


144  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

tins  describing  the  condition  of  the  wounded  president,  who 
was  very  popular  with  the  American  people.  The  last  tele 
gram  of  that  day  announced  that  he  was  very  low,  and 
would  probably  die  before  morning.  The  next  morning  the 
dispatches  announced  that  the  president  was  still  living, 
and  that  on  the  previous  evening,  believing  that  he  had 
only  a  few  more  hours  to  live,  he  had  caused  to  be  made  out 
my  own  and  four  other  commissions  and  had  signed  them 
with  his  dying  hand.  I  feel  justified  in  narrating  this  in  de 
tail,  inasmuch  as  I  am  in  possession  of  the  document  which 
contains  the  last  official  signature  of  our  second  martyred 
president,  and  which  is  a  very  dear  treasure  to  me.  Believ 
ing  that  it  will  interest  the  reader  to  see  the  last  signature 
of  President  Garfield,  I  submit  a  photographic  fac-simile  of 
the  same. 


c/ 

GARFIELD'S  SIGNATURE. 

I  had  only  one  month  to  prepare  for  the  journey,  and  on 
account  of  the  long  and  expensive  voyage,  it  was  decided, 
in  family  council,  that  I  should  go  alone,  leaving  wife  and 
children  in  Minneapolis.  It  was  also  understood  that  I 
would  only  be  absent  about  one  year,  for  it  was  hardly  to 
be  expected  that  a  person  of  my  age  could  stand  the  danger 
ous  climate  of  India  much  longer. 

The  17th  of  August,  1881,  was  an  important  day  for  our 
little  family,  for  on  that  day  I  left  my  home  for  a  journey 
of  thirteen  thousand  miles,— to  distant  Calcutta,  the  capital 
of  India.  Passing  through  Chicago  on  the  following  day,  a 
number  of  my  Swedish  friends  at  that  place  had  arranged  a 


STORY  OF  AH  EMIGRANT.  145 

splendid  banquet  in  my  honor.  About  sixty  of  us  spent  a 
most  delightful  evening  around  the  bountiful  table;  but 
what  I  prized  more  highly  than  anything  else  were  the 
friendly  and  cordial  feelings  which  were  expressed  in  speech 
and  song. 

In  Washington  I  spent  a  few  days  in  order  to  receive  the 
last  instructions  from  the  state  department.  Hon.  W.  Win- 
dom,  who  was  secretary  of  the  treasury  under  the  adminis 
tration  of  Garfield,  accompanied  me  to  the  White  house, 
where  lh^  president  was  yet  hovering  between  life  and 
death.  WTe  were  not  admitted  to  the  inner  room,  which  was 
separated  from  the  front  room  only  by  draperies.  I  can 
vividly  recall  the  picture  of  the  president's  noble  wife  as  she 
stepped  out  to  us,  and,  with  an  expression  of  the  deep" 
est  suffering,  affection  and  hope  in  her  face,  told  us 
that  the  patient  had  taken  a  few  spoonfuls  of  broth,  and 
that  he  now  felt  much  better,  and  would  soon  recover- 
Thus  life  and  hope  often  build  air-castles  which  are  des 
tined  to  be  torn  down  again  by  the  cruel  hand  of  fate. 

When  the  steamer  touched  the  coast  of  Ireland  the  first 
news  which  the  eager  passengers  received  was  that  the  pres 
ident  was  still  living  and  had  been  taken  to  a  place  on  the 
coast.  The  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  from  New  York  to 
Liverpool  was  a  pleasure  trip  in  every  respect,  and  was  fav 
ored  by  the  most  delightful  weather.  On  board  the  White 
Star  Line  steamer  Celtic, — a  veritable  palace  of  its  kind, — 
the  passenger  had  all  he  could  wish,  as  far  as  solidity, 
speed,  reliability,  order,  comfort,  and  good  treatment  are 
concerned.  On  September  9th  I  arrived  in  Paris.  It  seemed 
to  me  as  if  it  had  been  only  a  couple  of  days  since  I  was  sit 
ting  in  the  midst  of  that  happy  company  of  friends  in  Chi 
cago,  whose  tender  and  cordial  farewell  still  sounded  as  an 
echo  in  my  ears— or  maybe  in  my  heart.  Nevertheless  I  was 


146  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

already  in  the  grand  and  happy  capital  of  the  third  French 
republic. 

I  had  time  and  opportunity  to  stay  a  few  days  in  the 
large  cities  through  which  I  passed,  each  one  of  which  left  a 
particular  impression  on  my  mind,  and,  although  they  are 
similar  in  most  respects,  each  of  them  has  its  peculiarities, 
especially  with  regard  to  the  character,  temperament  and 
customs  of  the  people.  I  cannot  refrain  from  describing  a 
few  of  them.  Washington  did  not  seem  to  be  itself  when  I 
passed  through  it,  a  cloud  of  sadness  and  mourning  brood 
ing  over  it  on  account  of  the  critical  condition  of  the  presi 
dent.  Boston  is  prim  and  stiff,  and  seems  like  a  place  of 
learning.  New  York  is  a  turmoil  of  pleasure  and  business. 
"Hurry  up"  seems  to  be  written  in  every  face;  " tumble 
harum-scarum  in  the  ever-changing  panorama  of  the 
world!  "  Liverpool  is  a  good  deal  like  New  York,  but  on  a 
smaller  scale.  London  is  the  stiff  colossus  of  Europe.  Am 
sterdam  and  Rotterdam  bear  the  stamp  of  thrift,  cleanliness, 
earnestness,  and  comfort.  Antwerp  and  Brussels  that  of 
joyous  abandonment.  Paris  includes  everything  which  is 
worth  seeing  in  the  others,  and  shows  everything  in  gayer 
colors  and  to  greater  perfection. 

I  remained  only  four  days  in  the  citv  on  the  Seine,  and  the 
impressions  of  such  a  short  stay  are  naturally  fleeting  and 
probably  even  unreliable.  Paris  has  its  imposing  monu 
ments  from  the  days  of  Louis  XIV.  and  the  two  Napoleons, 
which  glorify  the  exploits  of  war;  it  has  its  beautiful 
churches,  palaces  and  museums  like  other  great  cities;  but  in 
my  eyes  the  greatness  of  Paris  is  to  be  found  in  her  boulevards 
and  public  promenades.  I  also  made  a  visit  to  Versailles,  the 
wonderful  city  of  palaces,  and  spent  a  day  among  the  great 
monuments  of  grandeur  and  royalty,  misery  and  tyranny.  As 
worksof  art  they  are  grand  and  beautiful,  but  their  historical 
significance  produce  varied  feelings.  In  the  French  capital 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  147 

everything  seemed  to  indicate  comfort  and  satisfaction.  The 
workman  of  Paris  is  a  gentleman  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word. 
He  feels  free,  independent,  and  proud  in  the  consciousness  that 
he  is  a  part  of  the  state.  Soldiers  were  no  longer  to  be  seen 
in  the  city;  they  being  garrisoned  at  Versailles  and  other 
neighboring  cities ;  still  there  has  never  before  been  such  a 
feeling  of  profound  peace  and  security  in  France.  Liberty  is 
a  great  educator.  The  style,  name,  and  other  indications 
of  the  empire  are  passing  away,  and  the  republic  has  put  its 
stamp  on  Paris.  The  commune  is  no  longer  feared,  for  the 
state  is  no  longer  an  enemy  of  the  people,  but  a  protector  of 
its  rights  and  liberty.  Fortunate  Paris!  Happy  France! 

But  I  must  hurry  on,  in  order  to  reach  the  end  of  my  long 
journey.  On  the  13th  of  September  I  saw  the  majestic  Alps 
with  their  snow-clad  summits,  which  seemed  to  touch  ti.e 
very  vault  of  heaven.  The  same  day  I  passed  through  the 
tunnel  at  Mont  Cenis,  and  arrived  the  following  day  at 
Rome,  via  Turin  and  Florence.  And  is  this  great  and  glori 
ous  Rome?  Yes!  These  walls,  ruins,  palaces,  and  Sabine 
hills,— aye,  the  very  air  I  breathe,— all  this  belongs  to  the 
eternal  city.  From  the  window  of  my  room  in  Hotel 
Malori  I  can  read  the  signs,— "Via  di  Capo  le  Care,"  "Via 
Gregoriana,"  etc.,  and  among  these  an  index  pointing  to  the 
Rome  and  Tivoli  street-car  line.  Indeed,  I  have  seen  the 
great  city  of  Rome,  with  its  churches,  statues,  paintings, 
and  ancient  ruins  and  catacombs;  the  little  monument  to 
the  Swedish  Queen  Christina  in  the  St.  Peter's  church;  the 
triumphal  arch  which  commemorates  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and  the  temple  of  Vesta  where  the  ancient  vestal 
virgins  guarded  the  sacred  fire.  Two  thousand  years  thus 
passed  in  review  before  my  eyes  in  a  few  days. 

From  Rome  I  proceeded  to  Naples.  This  city  is  built  on 
the  most  beautiful  bay  in  the  world,  and  has  a  population 
of  six  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  It  is  built  in  the  form 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  149 

of  an  amphitheatre,  with  a  steep  decline  toward  the  water. 
In  the  south  we  see  the  island  of  Capri,  fifteen  miles  distant, 
and  on  the  east  coast  the  volcano  Vesuvius,  which,  by  its 
threatening  clouds  of  smoke,  seems  to  obscure  the  eastern 
part  of  beautiful  Naples,  although  it  lies  fourteen  miles  dis 
tant  from  the  city.  Long  before  the  time  of  Christ  the  bay 
looked  about  the  same  as  it  does  now.  The  chief  cities 
around  it  at  that  time  were  Naples,  Herculaneum  and 
Pompeii.  Mount  Vesuvius,  however,  did  not  look  as  it  does 
now,  but  rose  as  a  green  hill,  called  "La  Somma,"  and 
served  as  a  summer  resort  for  many  wealthy  Roman  patri 
cians.  The  city  of  Pompeii  had  about  forty  thousand  in 
habitants.  On  August  23,  A.  D.  79,  terrific  rumblings 
were  heard  from  the  interior  of  La  Somma,  the  summit  of 
which  suddenly  burst  open,  and  a  pillar  of  ashes,  steam,  and 
red-hot  rocks  shot  up  through  the  opening  to  a  great  height, 
and  fell,  scattering  itself  over  the  surrouncing  country,  while 
streams  of  melted  lava  rolled  down  the  hill-sides  and  buried 
Herculaneum  and  everything  in  it  under  a  layer  of  ashes  and 
lava  to  the  depth  of  eighty  feet.  Toward  night  the  erup 
tions  increased  in  force,  and  before  morning  Pompeii  and 
some  smaller  towns  were  also  buried  under  the  glowing  riv 
ers  of  volcanic  rocks,  ashes  and  mud. 

The  remarkable  history  of  this  place  absorbed  my  mind  as 
I  passed  through  the  two  thousand  years-old  streets  of 
Pompeii,  which,  in  the  course  of  this  century  have  again 
been  brought  to  light  by  the  removal  of  the  petrified  ashes 
and  other  volcanic  matter.  The  ancient  city  now  looks  a 
good  deal  as  it  did  eighteen  hundred  vears  ago.  It  is  situ 
ated  on  a  round  knoll,  and  measures  three  miles  in  circum 
ference.  The  houses  are  built  of  stone,  and  only  one  story 
high,  with  roofs  of  brick  and  floors  of  cut  stone,  just  as  the 
modern  houses  in  that  vicinity  are  built  to-day.  Every 
house  has  an  open  court  in  the  center,  and  all  aisles  and 


150  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

doors  lead  to  this.  Glass  windows  were  not  used,  but  the 
rooms  received  light  from  the  open  court,  which  could  be 
covered  by  canvass  as  a  protection  against  the  sun  and 
rain.  I  measured  the  streets.  They  proved  to  be  twelve 
feet  wide,  with  a  four-foot-wide  sidewalk  on  either  side.  The 
paving  consisted  of  boulders,  with  a  flat  surface  about 
twenty  inches  in  diameter,  and  contained  deep  grooves 
made  by  the  chariot  wheels.  The  houses  were  standing  in 
their  original  condition,  with  fresco  paintings  on  the  walls 
and  statues  in  their  proper  niches.  The  temples  with  their 
sacrificial  altars,  the  theatres,  the  court,  the  council-house, 
and  all  other  public  buildings  were  adorned  with  marble 
pillars  and  choice  works  of  sculpture.  I  saw  a  barber-shop 
with  chairs,  niches  for  the  soap  and  mugs,  and  the  waiting 
sofa.  In  a  baker's  house  I  saw  the  oven,  the  dough-trough, 
scales,  and  petrified  loaves  of  bread.  In  a  butcher  shop 
were  a  saw,  a  knife,  and  other  tools.  There  were  also  furni 
ture,  vessels  for  cooking,  bowls,  grain,  pieces  of  rope,  and 
plaster  of  Paris  casts  of  the  human  bodies  which  had  been 
found,  generally  prostrate,  with  the  face  pressed  against  the 
ground.  There  lies  a  cast  of  a  man  with  a  pleasant  smile 
on  his  lips;  he  must  have  passed  unconsciously  from  sleep  to 
death.  But  it  is  fruitless  to  try  and  describe  this  remark 
able  place  which  has  no  parallel  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  I 
heard  the  Swedish  language  spoken  in  this  city  of  the  dead, 
and  had  the  pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  Alder 
man  Tornquist  and  wife,  from  Wimmerby,  and  a  Doctor 
Viden  and  his  daughter,  from  Hernosand.  Thus  the  living 
meet  among  the  dead,  representatives  of  the  new  times 
stand  face  to  face  with  the  dead  of  antiquity,  children 
of  the  cool  North  in  the  sunny  South.  What  a  wonderful 
world  this  is,  to  be  sure ! 

The  17th  of  September  I  embarked  on  board  the  steamer 
La  Seyne,  destined  for  Alexandria  in  Egypt.    The  warm, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  151 

Italian  noonday  sun  poured  down  its  dazzling  rays;  we 
were  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  ships  and  steamers  carrying 
the  flags  of  all  nations;  hundreds  of  fishing  crafts  were 
sailing  out  of  the  harbor,  and  in  the  distance  the  mighty 
volcano  Vesuvius  towered  in  imposing  majesty  above  the 
vine-clad  hills.  There  was  a  life  and  a  traffic  which  it  is 
difficult  to  describe.  While  La  Sej-ne  was  lying  at  anchor 
for  several  hours  out  in  the  bay,  Italian  singers  in  their 
boats  swarmed  around  the  ship  and  entertained  the  passen 
gers  with  music.  Other  boats  contained  three  or  four  men 
each,  who  begged  the  passengers  to  throw  coins  into  the 
water.  As  soon  as  a  coin  was  thrown,  down  dived  one  of 
the  men  to  the  bottom,  arid  invariably  returned  with  the 
coin  in  his  mouth  although  the  water  was  very  deep,  per 
haps  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  feet.  The  voyage 
across  the  Mediterranean  was  very  pleasant,  especially  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  islai  d  of  Sicily.  The  deep  blue  sky,  the 
orange  groves  and  vineyards  on  the  island,  and  the  neat, 
white  cottages, —  all  gave  an  impression  of  indescribable 
tranquility  and  happiness. 

On  this  voyage,  which  lasted  three  days,  I  became  ac 
quainted  with  several  interesting  persons,  among  others 
with  a  Professor  Santamaria,  professor  in  an  university 
in  Egypt,  and  his  family,  and  with  a  Jesuit  priest, 
Miechen  by  name.  By  birth  a  French  nobleman  of  a  very 
old  and  rich  family,  he  had  been  educated  for  a  military 
life,  and  had  served  in  the  army  with  distinction,  and  in  the 
late  Franco-German  war  he  had  been  advanced  to  the  rank 
of  major,  although  he  was  only  thirty  years  of  age.  But 
suddenly  he  had  been  seized  with  religious  enthusiasm,  and 
had  given  up  his  illustrious  family  name,  renounced  his 
fortune,  his  honors,  and  the  brilliant  military  career  which 
lay  open  to  him,  in  order  to  become  a  priest.  After  two 


152  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

years  of  theological  studies  he  was  ordained  a  priest,  and 
admitted  into  the  Jesuit  order. 

He  had  now  been  ordered  to  supply  himself  with  a  full  set 
of  certain  scientific  instruments,  and  with  them  to  repair  to 
Cairo,   Egypt,  where  he  would  receive  further    orders.    I 
talked  a  great  deal  with  this  man.    He  spoke  English  flu 
ently,  and  was  equally  familiar  with  nearly   all  the  other 
European  languages.     He  was  no  fanatic  or  religious  crank, 
but    a    polished,   cultured    gentleman,   who    had  seen  and 
learned  to  know  the  world,  reaped  its  honors  and  tasted  its 
allurements,  and  he  was  evidently  as  liberal  and  tolerant  as 
myself.    And  this  man  went  to  a  field  of  action  of  which  he 
had    no    knowledge   whatsoever.     Probably   an   honorable 
position  as  professor  in  a  university  was  awaiting  him,  or 
perhaps  he  would  have  to  go  to  some  isolated  mountain  to 
observe  a  phenomenon  of  nature  in  the  interest  of  science,  or 
penetrate  a  malarious  wilderness  as  missionary  among  sav 
ages,  where  he  would  be  debarred  from  all  intercourse  with 
civilized  people,  and  deprived  of  all  the  comforts  and  con 
veniences  to  which  he  had  been  used  during  his  previous  life. 
Still  he  went  willingly  and  joyfully  to  his  work,  completely 
indifferent  as  to  his  fate,  thoroughly  convinced  that  he  was 
on  the  path  of  duty — to  accomplish  what  God  intended  he 
should  do.    I  was  on  my  wray   to   a  great  countrv  and  a 
court  as  the  representative  of  one  of  the  greatest  nations  on 
earth,  but  when  I  walked  the  deck   arm  in   arm  with  this 
humble  priest,  I  felt  my  inferiority  compared  with  him,  and 
I  actually  considered   his  position  enviable.     On  the  same 
voyage  I  became  acquainted  with   a   Danish  traveler, — A. 
d'Irgens-Bergh, — who  aiterward  met  me  in  India,  where  we 
visited  many  places  of  interest  together,  and  established  a 
friendship  which  afforded  both  of  us  much  pleasure. 

On  the  morning  of  September  21st   the  coast   of  E°:ypt 
appeared  in  sight.    There  is  Alexandria,  founded  by  Alexan 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  153 

der  the  Great,  and  formerly  renowned  for  its  commerce,  and 
as  the  centre  of  learning  and  culture  of  the  then  known  world. 
Even  now  this  city  is  grand  and  beautiful,  although  its 
beauty  and  style  are  different  from  any  thing  else  that  I  have 
seen.  We  often  form  conceptions  of  things  which  we  have 
not  seen,  but  which  are  interesting  to  us,  and  when  we  after 
ward  find  that  those  conceptions  are  wrong  we  feel  disap 
pointed.  Thus  I  had  always  thought  of  Egypt  as  a  countrv 
of  a  dark  tone  of  color,  probably  on  account  of  the  fertility 
of  the  soil  of  the  valley  of  the  Nile,  since  we  Northerners 
find  that  fertile  soil  is  dark  and  poor  soil  of  a  lighter  color. 
Therefore  I  could  hardly  believe  my  own  eyes  when  every 
thing  I  saw  on  the  shore  looked  white.  Not  only  the 
houses,  palaces,  and  huts,  but  even  the  roads  and  the  fields, 
all  had  a  white  color. 

As  we  neared  the  harbor,  and  even  before  the  pilot  came  on 
board,  we  noticed  that  all  the  flags  were  at  half-mast.  As  soon 
as  I  landed  and  had  shown  my  passport  to  the  customs  officer 
an  elegant  equipage  was  placed  at  my  disposal  under  the 
charge  of  a  dragoman,  and  we  drove  to  the  office  of  the 
American  consulate,  where  also  the  flag  was  at  half-mast. 
The  sad  occasion  for  this  soon  became  apparent.  President 
Garfield  had  died  during  my  voyage  across  the  Mediterra 
nean,  and  the  whole  civilized  world  was  in  mourning. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Alexandria  and  its  Monuments— The  Egyptian  "Fellahs"— The  Moham 
medans  and  Their  Religion— The  Voyage  Through  the  Suez  Canal— The 
Red  Sea— The  Indian  Ocean— The  Arrival  at  Calcutta. 


I  was  now  in  Africa  and  Egypt,  among  the  remnants  of 
ancient  glory  of  which  I  had  read  so  much,  and  which  I  so 
often  had  longed  to  see,  in  the  wonder-land  of  Egypt,  with 
which  every  Christian  child  is  made  acquainted  through  the 
first  lessons  in  Bible  history,  the  country  to  which  Joseph 
was  carried  as  a  slave,  and  whose  actual  ruler  he  finally 
became  by  dint  of  his  wisdom  and  virtue.  I  was  in  the  Nile 
valley  where  Pharoah  built  his  magazines  and  stored  up 
grain  for  the  seven  years  of  famine,  and  whence  Moses  con 
ducted  the  children  of  Israel  by  means  of  "a  pillar  of  a 
cloud  and  a  pillar  of  fire."  In  the  land  of  the  pyramids 
everything  seemed  strange  and  wonderful,  and  different 
from  anything  I  had  seen  before.  The  streets  crowded  with 
people,  the  bazaars,  the  oriental  costumes,  the  Babylonian 
confusion  of  all  the  tongues  of  the  earth, — all  this  combined 
made  on  me  an  overwhelming  impression.  Cleopatra's 
reedle;  Pompey's  pillar;  the  caravans  of  camels  on  their 
way  into  the  desert;  the  old  graves  and  catacombs;  the 
palm  groves,  the  oxen  turning  the  old-fashioned  water- 
wheels  which  carry  the  water  from  the  Nile  for  irrigating 
the  fields,  just  as  in  the  days  of  Moses, — all  this  was  repro 
duced  in  actual,  living  pictures  before  my  wondering  eyes. 


154 


SxoiiY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


155 


Side  by  side  with  these  remains  of  the  past  we  meet  with 
the  great  European  improvements  of  our  days,— the  large 
ships  in  the  harbor,  the  churches,  the  schools,  the  universi 
ties,  the  modern  markets  for  trade  and  commerce,  the  splen 
did  hotels  and  exchanges. 


ALEXANDRIA. 

I  stopped  two  days  in  Alexandria.  The  second  day  I 
visited  the  summer  palace  of  the  khedive,  or  vice-king,  on 
which  occasion  a  funny  incident  took  place.  Like  every 
other  foreigner  coming  to  Egypt  I  had  bought  a  sample  of 
the  head-gear  generally  used  in  that  country,  consisting  of  a 
red  cap  called  "  fez,  "which  is  madeof  very  thick,  soft  felt, and 
fits  very  closely  to  the  head.  With  this  cap  on  and  wearing 
a  tightly  buttoned  black  coat  I  rode  in  the  equipage  already 
mentioned  to  the  palace.  Ishmael  Pasha,  the  former  khe 
dive,  who  had  just  abdicated  and  left  the  country,  had  been 
very  popular  among  his  servants  and  adherents.  I  was  of 
the  same  size  and  build  as  he,  my  beard  was  cut  like  his,  and 


156  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

in  my  red  fez  I  looked  so  much  like  him  that  when  our  car 
riage  passed  through  the  gateway  to  the  palace  some  of 
the  servants  whispered  to  each  other  that  Khedive  Ish- 
mael  had  returned,  and  when  the  coachman  stopped  at  the 
entrance  I  was  surrounded  by  a  number  of  servants  who 
greeted  me  and  evinced  the  greatest  joy.  The  poor  creatures 
soon  discovered  their  mistake.  Their  good  friend  the 
khedive  will  never  return  to  Egypt,  for  England  and  France 
will  not  allow  it.  He  'was  too  sincere  a  friend  of  his  own 
people,  and  too  independent  in  dealing  with  the  share 
holders  of  the  Suez  canal  built  during  his  reign. 

Alexandria  has  a  population  of  two-hundred-fifty  thou 
sand.  It  was  founded  by  Alexander  the  Great  three  hundred 
years  before  Christ,  on  account  of  the  great  natural  advan 
tages  of  this  place  as  a  seaport.  At  the  time  of  Christ  it 
had  about  half  a  million  inhabitants.  It  was  repeatedly 
ravaged  by  destructive  wars,  and  finally  completely  pillaged 
by  Caliph  Omar,  who  is  also  said  to  have  burnt  its  library, 
the  largest  and  most  valuable  collection  of  books  of  an 
tiquity,  an  act  by  which  civilization  suffered  an  irreparable 
loss,  the  library  containing  the  only  copies  of  a  number  of 
ancient  literary  works.  It  is  claimed  that  the  caliph  gave 
his  generals  the  following  characteristic  answer,  when  asked 
what  was  to  be  done  with  the  library:  "If  it  contains  any 
thing  contrary  to  the  Koran  it  is  wrong;  if  it  contains  any 
thing  that  agrees  with  the  Koran  it  is  superfluous;  there 
fore,  at  all  events,  it  ought  to  be  burnt.  " 

The  most  remarkable  of  the  ancient  monuments  still 
remaining  in  Alexandria  is  Pompey's  pillar,  which  is  a  mon 
olithic  shaft  of  polished  red  granite,  seventy-three  feet  high 
and  twenty-nine  feet  eight  inches  in  circumference.  One  of 
the  most  interesting  objects  of  a  more  recent  origin  was  the 
'Cafe*  El  Paradiso.  It  consists  of  an  immense  restaurant  and 
concert  hall,  or  rather  halls,  for  there  are  many  of  them. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


157 


One  of  these  extends  over  the  water,  so  that  when  one  sits 
there  drinking  genuine  Mocha  coffee  and  smoking  a  Turkish 
aargileh  one  can  hear  the  beating  of  the  waves  and  feel  the 

I,    -::;•.  V=  :"•-•.::;  !          ~ 


PILLAR    OF   POMPEII. 

undulations  of  the  azure  Mediterranean.  I  drove  out  in 
to  the  country  a  few  miles  to  see  the  Egyptian  fellahs,  or 
peasants.  No — I  shall  not  disgrace  the  name  " peasant"  by 
using  it  here;  for  the  Egyptian  fellah  is  an  ignorant, 
superstitious,  absolutely  destitute,  and,  in  every  respect, 
miserable  wretch,  and  is  worse  off  than  a  slave.  Four  walls 
of  stones  or  earth  make  one  or  two  rooms,  with  a  floor  of 
clay  and  a  roof  of  straw  or  sod.  A  wooden  box,  a  couple  of 
kettles,  and  some  mats  made  of  grass  or  palm  canes,  are  the 
only  pieces  of  furniture.  A  couple  of  goats,  an  ass,  or,  at 
the  very  best,  a  yoke  of  oxen,  are  all  he  possesses  in  this 
world.  He  works  hard,  and  his  fare  is  exceedingly  plain. 
He  neither  desires  nor  expects  anything  better,  nothing 


158 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


stimulates  him  to  acquire  wealth;  for  that  would  only  give 
the  tax-gatherer  a  pretext  for  extra  extortions.  Miserable 
Egypt!  I  have  seen  much  poverty  and  much  misery  among 
men;  but  of  everything  I  have  seen  in  that  line  nothing  can 
be  compared  with  the  wretched  condition  of  the  Egyptian 
fellah. 

Still  these  unfortunate  people  seem  to  find  happiness  in 
their  religion.    Here  some  one   might  object  that  this  is  a 


FELLAH   *HUT. 

wretched  happiness,  because  their  religion  is  Mohammedan 
ism  or  Islamism.  Man  feels  himself  drawn  to  a  higher  pow 
er.  No  matter  what  his  condition,  he  longs  for  a  life  after 
this,  and  searches  after  an  object  for  his  -worship,  and  when 
he  has  found  this  object  he  will  give  up  his  life  rather  than 
give  tip  his  faith.  And  still  that  object  for  which  a  person 
or  a  nation  is  willing  to  sacrifice  even  life  itself  is  ridiculed 
and  despised  by  another  person  and  another  nation.  If  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


ignorant  were  the  only  ones  who  disagree  in  matters  of 
faith,  this  condition  might  be  easily  explained;  but  even  the 
highest  civilization  has  failed  in  its  attempts  to  harmonize 
the  different  religions,  and,  in  my  opinion,  this  fact  ought 
to  make  all  thinking  men  tolerant  and  liberal  toward  those 
who  hold  different  religious  views.  The  Mohammedan  faith 
has  made  a  deep  and  lasting  impression  on  a  population  scat 

tered  over  a  large  part  of  the 
surface  of"  our  earth,  and  no 
one  dares  deny  that  its  adher 
ents  are  much  more  devoted  to 
their  religion  and  much  more 
conscientious  in  observing  its 
rites  than  we  as  Christians  are 
with  reference  to  our  religion. 
The  adherents  of  Moham 
med  now  number  one  hundred 
and  thirty  millions,  and  the 
number  is  constantly  growing. 
Many  believe  that  this  religion 
gains  so  many  adherents  be 
cause  it  is  sensual,  and  allows 
all  kinds  of  debauchery.  But 
this  supposition  runs  counter 
to  the  facts.  It  is  true,  that 
Mohammed  allowed  a  man 
to  have  four  wives;  but  it 
must  be  remembered  that  he 
FELT.AH  WOMAN.  limited  the  number  to  four,  and 

that  the  number  had  been  unlimited  before.  The  life 
of  an  orthodox  Musselman  is  an  unbroken  chain  of  self- 
denial  and  self-sacrifice,  and,  in  this  respect,  we  must  ac- 
knowlege  that  he  is  superior  to  us  Christians.  His  chief 
article  of  faith  is  expressed  in  this  dogma:  "There  is  no 


160 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


god  but  Allah,  and  Mohammed  is  his  prophet."  The  lead 
ing  commandments  bearing  on  the  practice  of  their  religion 
are  prayer,  ablutions,  alms-giving,  jasting,  and  a  pilgrimage 
to  Mecca.  The  use  of  intoxicating  drinks  is  strictly  pro 
hibited,  hospitality  is  recommended,  gambling  and  usury  are 
not  allowed.  Friday  is  the  Mohammedan's  day  of  rest. 
Since  my  first  visit  in  Egypt  I  have  been  very  closely  con 
nected  with  many  Mohammedans,  several  of  whom  have 


IRRIGATION    MILT.. 


been  members  of  my  own  household,  and  it  afTords  me  great 
pleasure  to  testify  that,  as  far  as  my  observations  go,  they 
have  lived  faithfully  according  to  the  precepts  of  their  relig 
ion.  Nay,  I  am  convinced  that  in  most  cases  they  would 
renounce  property,  liberty,  and  even  life  itself,  rather  than 
violate  any  of  the  cardinal  precepts  of  the  Koran.  But  as 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  161 

to  the  Eg}Tptian  fellah,  he  has  no  comfort  to  renounce,  his 
whole  life  being  made  up  of  continual  fasting  and  abstinence 
from  sheer  necessity,  so  that  it  is  comparatively  easy  for  him 
to  be  a  good  Mohammedan. 

Having  engaged  a  berth  for  the  voyage  from  London  to 
India  on  the  steamer  City  of  Canterbury,  which  I  was  to 
take  about  this  time  at  the  west  end  of  the  Suez  canal,  I 
could  not  remain  any  longer  in  Egypt,  but  took  the  Austrian 
steamer  Apollo  to  Port  Said,  at  the  entrance  to  the  Suez 
canal.  On  September  25th,  in  the  evening,  I  embarked  on 
the  City  of  Canterbury  where  I  made  myself  comfortable  in 
a  fine  state-room  which  had  been  reserved  for  me.  It  takes 
two  days  to  pass  through  the  Suez  canal,  which  runs 
through  a  great  sandy  plain  that  was  formerly  covered  by 
the  waters  of  the  Red  Sea.  Among  the  many  memorable 
places  which  were  pointed  out  to  us  during  this  passage  was 
also  the  spot  where  Moses  is  said  to  have  conducted  the 
Israelites  across  the  Red  Sea.  The  work  on  the  Suez  canal 
was  commenced  in  1859  and  completed  in  1869,  and  it  cost 
about  $95,000,000.  The  length  of  the  canal  is  one  hundred 
miles,  its  width  at  the  surface  of  the  water  is  three  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  feet,  at  the  bottom  seventy-two  feet,  and 
its  depth  twenty-six  feet.  To  a  ship  sailing  from  Sweden 
or  England  to  Bombay  in  India,  the  distance  by  way  of  the 
Suez  canal  is  five  thousand  miles  shorter  than  by  the  passage 
around  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

I  recollect  an  anecdote  which  dates  from  the  opening  of 
the  canal  in  1869.  On  that  occasion  an  irreverent  speaker 
is  claimed  to  have  said  in  toasting  De  Lesseps,  the  French 
engineer  who  planned  and  executed  the  work,  that  the  lat 
ter  was  the  only  man  who  had  improved  upon  the  work  of 
the  creator:  He  had  connected  the  waters  of  the  Red  Sea 

and  those  of  the  Mediterranean.    Thus  the  significance  of 
11 


162  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

a  great  work  may  also  find  an  expression  in  the  garb  of  a 
bold  joke. 

Having  remained  in  Suez  a  short  while,  the  steamer  glided 
out  on  the  Red  Sea,  keeping  close  up  to  the  naked  coast  cf 
Africa.  On  the  second  day  of  our  Red  Sea  voyage  we  sew 
Mount  Sinai  looming  up  some  distance  from  the  coast  of 
Arabia.  September  is  the  hottest  month  of  the  year  in  that 
region,  and  as  we  had  the  wind  with  us,  the  customarv 
breeze  caused  by  the  motion  of  the  steamer  was  neutralized, 
and  the  heat  was  terrific.  We  slept  on  the  deck,  and  we 
hailed  the  morning  hour  with  joy  on  account  of  the  shower- 
bath  which  was  afforded  when  the  sailors  washed  the  deck. 
It  is  a  conundrum  to  me  why  this  body  of  water  is  called 
the  Red  Sea,  for  there  is  nothing  whatever  to  suggest  this 
color.  One  day  we  had  a  miniature  illustration  of  a  sand 
storm.  A  strong  wind  carried  the  sand  from  the  coast  of 
Africa  several  miles  into  the  sea  and  covered  the  steamer 
with  a  layer  of  fine,  white  sand,  which  looked  like  fre-h 
snow.  We  also  had  a  chance  to  see  flying  fish  which  flew 
over  the  ship,  and  occasionally  fell  down  on  the  deck. 
These  fish  were  small  and  silver-colored,  their  fins  looking  a 
good  deal  like  the  wings  of  the  bat.  They  can  not  turn  in 
their  course,  nor  can  they  fly  up  and  down  at  pleasure,  but 
only  upward  and  forward  in  a  straight  line;  and  when  they 
fall  down  on  the  deck  they  are  just  as  helpless  as  any  other 
fish  out  of  water. 

Having  reached  the  Indian  ocean,  the  temperature  became 
more  pleasant,  so  that  we  no  longer  suffered  so  much  from 
the  heat.  At  last  our  splendid  steamer  plowed  its  course  up 
the  majestic  Ganges,  the  sacred  river  with  its  one  hundred 
mouths,  on  whose  peaceful  bosom  millions  and  millions  of 
human  bodies  have  been  carried  to  the  ocean.  For  a  dis 
tance  of  eighty  miles  we  sailed  up  this  wonderful  river, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  163 

and  on  either  side  we  could  see  cities,  temples,  palm  groves, 
and  large  crowds  of  people.  On  October  15th  we  arrived  at 
Calcutta,  where  I  was  received  by  the  American  vice-consul, 
end  comfortably  quartered  in  the  Great  Eastern  hotel. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

India— Its  People,  Religion,  Etc.— The  Fertility  of  the  Country— The  Cli 
mate—The  Dwellings  —  Punkah  —  Costumes  —  Calcutta  —  Dalhousie 
Square— Life  in  the  Streets. 


This  is  India,  the  wonderful  land  of  the  Hindoos.  Africa 
had  appeared  strange  to  us  compared  with  Europe  and 
America;  Asia  seemed  still  more  so.  The  Hindoos  have  a 
high  and  very  old  civilization,  but  entirely  different  from 
that  of  Europe  and  America.  The  country  is  named  after 
the  river  Indus.  It  is  hardly  equal  in  area  to  one-half  of 
the  United  States,  but  contains  a  population  of  more  than 
two  hundred  and  sixty-nine  millions>  eighty-one  millions  of 
whom  are  Mohammedans,  one  hundred  and  ninety  millions 
Brahmins,  two  millions  Christians,  three  and  a  half  mil 
lions,  Buddhists,  Parsees  or  fire-worshipers,  two  millions 
Sikhs,  and  the  rest  are  Jews  or  adherents  of  unknown  re 
ligions.  Queen  Victoria  of  England  is  Empress  of  India, 
and  the  country  is  ruled  in  her  name  by  a  viceroy.  It  is 
divided  into  three  great  presidencies,  viz.,  Bengal,  Madras, 
and  Bombay,  and  these  are  again  divided  into  a  number  of 
districts  and  native  principalities.  In  order  to  maintain  her 
supremacy  in  India,  England  keeps  an  army  of  about  two 
hundred  thousand  regulars,  of  whom  a  little  over  one-third 
are  English  and  the  rest  natives ;  and  beside  these  there  is  a 
large  militia  and  police  force.  Most  of  the  native  soldiers 
hail  from  the  mountain  districts.  The  most  prominent  of 

164 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


165 


them  belong  to  the  Sikhs  and  Gourkas,  two  Indian  nations. 
The  Sikhs  are  tall,  stately  fellows,  in  my  opinion  ideal  sol 
diers  for  a  standing  army.  The  Gourkas  are  smaller  in 


SIKH    CAVALRY    MAN. 


stature,  but  very  energetic  and  hardy ;  and  both  are  renowned 
for  their  courage  and  endurance.  It  is  said  that  a  Gourka 
soldier  would  rather  fight  than  eat,  while  a  Sikh  takes  the 
matter  more  philosophically,  and  eats  first  and  then  fights. 
All  native  regiments  are  commanded  by  British  officers,  and 


166  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

;i  native  seldom  attains  the  rank  of  a  commanding  officer,— 
not  because  he  is  incapable  of  performing  this  duty,  but 
rather  because  the  English  do  not  trust  him  implicitly. 

The  bulk  of  the  people  belong  to  the  Arian  race,  as  we  do; 
with  the  exception  of  the  complexion,  which  is  a  little 
darker,  their  features  are  the  same  as  ours.  Occasionally  a 
Hindoo  may  have  red  hair,  but  never  blonde  hair  and  blue 
eyes.  Comparing  the  higher  and  the  lower  classes,  the  com 
plexion  of  the  former  is  lighter,  and  their  bodies  are  better 
built  and  statelier  than  those  of  the  lower  or  laboring  classes, 
who  also  have  a  darker  skin.  The  English  language  is  used 
at  the  court  and  in  all  official  circles,  and  the  men  of  the 
higher  classes  among  the  natives  speak  and  read  English. 

The  plain  of  Bengal,  in  which  Calcutta  is  situated,  is  trian 
gular  in  form,  each  side  being  about  one  thousand  miles  in 
length.  It  is  bounded  by  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  the  Indian 
ocean,  the  Bay  of  Persia,  and  the  Himalaya  mountains. 
The  soil  is  very  rich,  and,  having  been  cultivated  for  thou 
sands  of  years,  it  still  produces  two  or  three  fair  crops  a  year 
without  fertilization  or  proper  cultivation.  As  the  Nile  in 
Egypt  deposits  a  rich  sediment  over  its  valley,  so  does  the 
river  Ganges  carry  from  the  mountains  a  whitish,  slimy  silt, 
which  it  deposits  during  its  annual  overflow  in  the  plains  of 
Bengal.  This  silt  is  a  great  fertilizer,  and  thus  nature  sup 
plies  what  poor  husbandry  fails  to  provide. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  give  a  description  of  India  and 
its  wonderful  people,  but  simply  to  give  some  pen  pictures 
of  scenes  and  incidents  which  came  \vithin  the  range  of  my 
observation  and  experience  during  the  year  and  a  half  which 
I  stayed  there.  I  shall  therefore  ask  the  reader  to  follow  me 
on  my  daily  walks  of  life  as  well  as  to  some  of  the  fetes  and 
entertainments  where  I  was  a  guest,  and  on  my  travels 
through  the  wonderful  country.  I  had  a  chance  to  come  in 
contact  with  all  classes,  as  the  rank  to  which  my  official 


168  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

position  entitled  me  not  only  opened  the  doors  of  the  pal 
aces  and  temples  to  me,  but  also  paved  my  way  to  the 
htwnblest  houses. 

India  has  over  five  hundred  cities.  Of  these  Calcutta  is 
the  largest,  and  has  a  population  of  about  eight  hundred 
thousand.  It  is  called  " the  city  of  palaces,"  but  only  cer 
tain  portions  of  the  city  deserve  that  name.  Owing  to  the 
warm  climate,  the  buildings  in  India,  as  in  all  other  warm 
countries,  are  low,  seldom  more  than  two  stories  high,  and  the 
walls  and  roofs  are  very  thick.  The  building  material  gen 
erally  consists  of  brick  and  cement,  the  roofs  being  mostly 
made  of  the  latter.  There  are  verandas  on  the  sides  of  the 
houses,  and  these,  as  well  as  the  windows,  are  protected  by 
heavy  Venetian  blinds.  In  the  evening  the  doors  and  win 
dows  are  thrown  open  so  as  to  let  in  the  cool  night  air,  but 
in  the  morning  they  are  closely  shut,  so  as  to  keep  as  much 
of  it  as  possible.  Inside  there  are  many  contrivances  for 
protecting  the  people  against  the  excessive  heat.  The  most 
important  of  these  is  the  punkah,  consisting  of  a  wooden 
framework  which  is  stretched  with  heavy  canvass  and  is 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  wide,  and  from  ten  to  twenty  feet 
long,  according  to  the  size  of  the  room.  It  is  suspended 
from  the  ceiling,  and  reaches  down  to  the  heads  of  people 
sitting  on  chairs.  By  means  of  pulleys  this  punkah  is  kept 
in  an  oscillating  motion  by  coolies  stationed  in  the  back  of 
the  house  or  on  the  back  porch,  and  it  creates  such  a  pleas 
ant  breeze  that  one  forgets  all  about  the  heat.  Every  room 
or  office  in  the  houses  of  Europeans  and  Americans  has  its 
punkah,  and  even  the  churches  have  a  great  number  of  them 
during  the  hot  season.  From  March  till  October  the  pun 
kahs  are  kept  in  motion  all  night  over  the  beds  of  those  who 
can  afford  the  luxury  of  four  " punka  walla"  (pullers);  for 
it  always  takes  two  pullers  for  each  punkah  in  the  day-time, 
and  two  others  at  night  to  relieve  each  other  every  hour  or 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


169 


two.  Servants'  wages  are  very  low  in  India,  and  as  the 
punkah  walla  belongs  to  the  lowest  grade  of  servants  his 
wages  are  only  five  rupees  ($2.50)  a  month,  and  he  must 
board  himself  as  do  all  other  servants. 

The  clothing  which  people  wear  also  adds  largely  to  their 
comfort.  The  cooley,  or  common  laborer,  wears  a  long 
piece  of  cloth  wrapped  around  his  waist  and  tucked  up  so  as 
to  resemble  a  short  pair  of  drawers,  and  a  head  gear  some 
what  resembling  a  turban;  the  breast,  back,  and  upper 
limbs  being  entirely  naked.  Both  men  and  women  of  the 


TYPES    OF    THE    LOWEST    CASTE. 


better  class  of  natives  have  loose  falling  robes  of  jute,  silk  or 
cotton.  Europeans  generally  dress  in  white  linen  trousers 
and  jackets,  and  it  is  only  toward  evening  when  taking  a 


170  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

drive  near  the  public  parks,  or  at  night  while  attending  par 
ties  and  receptions,  that  etiquette  compells  them  to  put  on 
the  black  dress  suit.  What  strikes  the  newcomer  most  on 
his  first  arrival  in  India  is  perhaps  the  great  number  of  peo 
ple  that  he  meets  and  sees.  The  cities  are  veritable  bee-hives 
of  moving  crowds  of  people,  and  the  bazaars,  shops,  and 
dwellings  resemble  honey-combs,  with  their  many  subdivis 
ions,  giving  each  man  or  group  of  men  the  smallest  possible 
space. 

Sitting  in  my  comfortable  easy  chair  with  my  eyes  closed, 
thinking  of  the  past,  I  now  see  a  picture  of  a  spot  in 
Calcutta  called  "Dalhousie  Square,"  where  I  loved  to  walk 
in  the  cool  evening  shades.  I  wish  I  were  an  artist  and  could 
paint  the  picture  on  canvas  for  my  readers;  but  since  I  am 
not  I  'will  try  to  describe  it  with  the  pen.  Dalhousie  square 
is  about  twice  the  size  of  our  ordinary  city  parks;  it  is  laid 
out  in  walks,  flower  beds  and  grass  plots,  and  planted  with 
flowers,  shrubs  and  trees  of  almost  every  imaginable  kind ; 
it  is  a  perfect  gem  of  a  little  park.  It  is  surrounded  by 
a  high  iron  railing,  with  gates  at  the  four  corners,  which  are 
open  in  the  day  time.  On  one  side  of  the  park  are  the  new 
government  office  buildings,  while  the  other  sides  are  lined 
with  ordinary  business  houses,  separated  from  the  park  by 
wide  streets.  The  principal  one  of  these  streets  leads  from 
the  viceroy's  palace  up  to  the  native  part  of  the  city,  and  is 
generally  frequented  by  a  great  number  of  fine  carriages, 
hacks,  palanquin  bearers,  horsemen,  and  thousands  c  f 
pedestrians. 

At  one  corner  is  a  hack  stand,  with  hacks  just  like  our 
own;  but  instead  of  our  American  hackdriver  we  find  the 
native  Jehu,  or  coachman,  who,  while  waiting  for  a  cus 
tomer,  sits  perched  on  the  seat  with  his  feet  drawn  up  under 
his  body,  engaged  with  needle  and  thread  in  sewing  a  gar- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  171 

merit  for  himself  or  his  wife,  perhaps,  or  occupying  himself 
with  a  piece  of  embroidery  or  fine  crochet  work. 

In  front  of  yonder  fine  office  building  is  seated  a  Durwan 
(doorkeeper),  who  is  a  Brahmin  or  priest.  He  sits  at  that 
door  or  gate  all  day  long,  and  sleeps  in  front  of  it  at  night 
on  his  little  bed,  which  resembles  a  camp  cot.  Early  in  the 
morning  he  takes  up  his  bed  and  walks  with  it  to  the  rear, 
where  stands  a  little  cookhouse  in  which  he  prepares  his 
food  for  the  day,  consisting  chiefly  of  boiled  rice  and  vege 
tables.  Just  now  he  is  reading  aloud,  and  with  a  singing 
voice,  from  the  Shastras  (the  Hindoo  Bible)  to  a  crowd  of 
listeners,  who  eagerly  and  reverently  seize  on  every  word 
from  the  holy  writings.  Just  behind  me  on  a  green  spot  in 
the  park  a  dozen  or  more  Mohammedans  lie  prostrate,  their 
foreheads  touching  the  ground,  repeating  their  prayers ;  and 
if  it  happens  to  be  at  the  setting  of  the  sun  hundreds  of  peo 
ple  are  seen  in  the  streets,  shops,  hotel  corridors,  or  wherever 
they  happen  to  be,  turning  their  faces  toward  the  holy  city 
Mecca,  reverently  kneeling  and  saying  their  evening  prayers. 

Here  on  the  side-walk,  close  by,  me  sits  a  money-changer 
and  broker.  He  has  a  box  filled  with  coins  of  almost  every 
kind  and  description ;  he  buys  and  sells  gold  and  silver  of 
other  countries,  such  as  are  not  current  in  Calcutta,  loans 
money  on  jewelry  and  other  valuables,  and  does  a  general 
banking  business  on  a  very  small  scale.  There  comes  a 
peddler, — more  of  them.  Now  they  are  crowding  in  by  the 
hundred,  selling  canes,  parasols,  embroideries,  watches, 
jewelry,  and  trinkets  of  every  description,  following  the 
foot  passengers,  running  beside  the  carriages  going  at  full 
speed,  sticking  their  goods  through  the  windows  and  implor 
ing  the  occupants  to  buy. 

Going  around  to  the  more  quiet  side  of  the  square,  I  find  a 
professional  writer  squatted  on  the  side- walk.  He  has  a 
bundle  of  dry  palm  leaves,  and  a  customer  of  the  lowest 


172 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


Hindoo  classes  stands  before  him  stating  what  message  he 
wishes  to  send  to  his  wife  £nd  relatives  in  the  country. 
With  a  sharp  steel  instrument  the  writer  inscribes  some 
strange  Bengal  letters  on  the  palm  leaf,  folds  it  upintoalittle 

N  package  which  is  sent  by  a  traveling  neighbor,  or,  perhaps, 
by  a  swift  messenger,  to  the  dear  one  in  the  humble  cottage 

>>  which  stands  somewhere  out  on  the  plain  among  the  rice 
fields. 

A  little  further  on  sits  a  native  barber,  also  on  the  side 
walk.*    Instead  of  a  barber's  chair  he  has  a  common-sized 


HINDOO    BARBER. 

brick.  The  man  who  is  to  be  shaved  squats  down  opposite 
the  barber;  if  the  customer  is  the  shorter  of  the  two  the 
brick  is  put  under  his  feet,  but  if  he  is  taller  the  barber  puts 
the  brick  under  his  own  feet,  in  order  that  they  may  be  on  a 

*The  Hindoos  never  sit  as  we  do,  but  squat  on  the  ground  and  rest  the  weight 
of  the  body  on  the  heels. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  173 

perfect  level  before  the  operation  begins.  A  Hindoo  barber 
not  only  shaves  and  cuts  the  hair,  but  also  cleans  the  nails 
and  ears  and  does  other  toilet  work. 

There  I  see  two  stately  men  walking  arm  in  arm ;  they 
have  fine  cut,  very  regular  features,  and  beautiful  black  hair 
and  beard;  their  intelligent  looks  and  easy  carriage  com 
mand  attention;  they  wear  japanned  shoes,  snow  white 
trousers,  long  white  linen  coats  buttoned  close  to  the  chin, 
and  high  black  hats  without  brim.  They  are  Parsees, 
descendants  of  the  ancient  Persians  and  fire-worshipers,  and 
probably  merchants  and  men  of  wealth.  And  there  again  I 
see  a  group  of  Asiatic  Jews  in  skull  caps  and  long  gowns, — 
keen,  thoughtful  and  intelligent,  without  the  slightest  change 
in  manners,  costumes,  or  features  since  the  days  of  the  Jews 
of  nineteen  hundred  years  ago. 

In  the  crowded  street  I  suddenly  hear  a  shout,  and  see  two 
men  running  with  staffs  in  their  hands,  hallooing:  "Stand 
aside,  get  out  of  the  way,  you  fellows !  The  Prince  of  Tra- 
vancore  is  coming!  Clear  the  road,  get  out  of  the  way!" 
Close  on  the  heels  of  the  runners  is  a  magnificent  carriage 
drawn  by  four  Arabian  steeds.  By  the  side  of  the  driver  sits 
a  trumpeter,  who  occasionally  blows  in  a  long  horn  to  make 
known  that  the  great  personage  is  coming.  Inside  is  the 
prince,  and  behind  the  carriage  are  four  mounted  soldiers, 
his  body  guard. 

Just  coming  in  sight  around  a  street  corner,  turning  up 
one  of  the  native  streets,  is  a  long  line  of  ox-carts.  They 
are  loaded  with  cotton,  jute,  hides,  indigo,  or  other  native 
products.  They  are  very  light,  and  are  drawn  by  a  pair  of 
Hindoo  oxen  no  larger  than  a  two-year-old  heifer  of  our 
cattle,  but  with  fine  limbs  and  a  high  hump  over  the  shoul 
ders.  They  are  yoked  far  apart,  about  the  same  way  as  in 
Sweden;  but  the  coolie  driver  sits  close  behind  them  and 
guides  them  by  a  twist  of  the  tail  with  his  hand.  Several 


174 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


palanquin-bearers  are  passing  the  square.  The  palanquin  is 
a  long  covered  box  attached  to  a  long  pole  and  carried  by 
four  men,  two  at  each  end  of  the  pole,  which  rests  on  their 
shoulders.  Inside  the  palanquin  is  perhaps  a  Hindoo  mer 
chant  going  to  a  bazaar,  or  a  couple  of  students  going  to 
the  university,  or  maybe  the  wife  of  some  well-to-do  native 
merchant  on  the  way  to  the  home  of  her  parents. 
The  trees  in  the  park  are  all  full  of  flowers,  like  the  tulip 


^     *      ^ 


INDIGO    CART. 

tree  and  the  chestnut  in  bloom.  Innumerable  birds  of  gay 
colors  flutter  among  the  branches  of  the  trees,  and  on  the 
roofs  of  the  highest  houses  we  discover  a  couple  of  the 
so-called  adjutant  birds,  a  species  of  stork,  which  stand 
like  sentinels  on  guard  watching  the  thousands  of  ravens 
that  hover  over  the  city  ready  to  dive  for  any  garbage  that 
may  be  thrown  out  into  the  street  or  alley.  Formerly, 
these  were  ^the  only  scavengers  in  the  cities  of  India.  A 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


175 


dozen  coolies  who  are  almost  naked  are  seen  running  among 
the  carriages  sprinkling  water  on  the  streets  from  goat 
skins,  to  keep  the  dust  down. 

There  comes  a  family  procession  of  the  lower  class  with  a 
basket  of  bananas  and  wreaths  of  flowers  going  to  the 
river  Ganges  to  offer  sacrifices  and  enjoy  an  evening  bath  in 
the  open  river.  Early  every  morning  thousands  upon  thou- 


HINDOO    MERCHANTS. 

sands  may  be  seen  in  the  streets  bent  on  a  similar  errand. 
Men  from  Cashmere,  Afghanistan,  China,  Arabia,  Thibet, 
etc.,  are  seen  in  the  throng,  dressed  in  their  native  costumes. 
It  is  a  strange  and  beautiful  picture  to  look  at  for  a  little 
while.  I  have  described  only  a  small  portion  of  it,  for  fear 
of  tiring  the  reader. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Promenades  of  the  Fashionable  World— Maidan— The  Viceroy— British 
Dominions  in  India. 


No  European  or  American  walks  ovt  doors  in  India,  except 
ing  a  promenade  early  in  the  morning  or  late  in  the  evening. 
They  are  either  carried  in  palanquins,  or,  which  is  more 
common,  they  keep  a  horse  and  carriage.  Observing  the 
good  old  rule  of  adopting  the  custom  of  the  country,  I  also 
procured  a  phaeton  and  a  gray  Arab  as  well  as  the  indispen 
sable  Hindoo  driver  and  runner,  and  I  now  invite  the  reader 
to  take  a  ride  with  me  late  in  the  afternoon,  when  hundreds 
of  equipages  fill  the  fashionable  driveways. 

It  is  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  dim  rays  of  the 
setting  sun  allow  us  to  lower  the  top  of  the  carriage  so  that 
we  may  have  an  open  view  all  around.  But  before  doing 
this,  we  must  exchange  the  white  business  suit  and  broad- 
brimmed  Indian  hat  (which  are  made  of  the  light  pith  of  an 
Indian  shrub  somewhat  similar  to  our  elder  bush,  and  cov 
ered  with  a  thin  layer  of  cotton)  for  the  conventional  black 
hat  and  coat,  for  these  people  are  dreadfully  ceremonious. 
The  chandra  takes  his  place  in  the  driver's  seat,  and  the 
badon  on  the  steps  behind  the  carriage.  They  are  both 
dressed  in  snow-white  outer  garments,  which  look  a  good 
deal  like  a  common  nightgown,  and  a  head  dress  consisting  of 
ten  yards  of  white  muslin,  wound  several  times  around  the 
head  in  the  shape  of  a  round  turban.  The  Mohammedar 

17B 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  177 

coachmen  and  runners  generally  wear  the  colors  of  their 
masters  in  the  same  manner  as  other  native  servants  do. 
In  my  case,  of  course,  it  was  the  red,  white  and  blue  sashes, 
belts  and  turbans.  The  runner  has  his  place  on  a  step  be 
hind  the  carriage,  and  it  is  his  duty  to  jump  off  and  run  in 
front  to  clear  the  way  whenever  it  may  be  necessary. 

We  start  from  the  Great  Eastern  hotel,  where  I  first 
resided,  down  a  long  street  called  Chowringhee  road,  which 
is  two  miles  long  and  very  broad,  and  lined  on  the  east  side 
by  English  residences  built  of  stone.  Every  mansion  stands 
in  a  large  garden  full  of  tropical  trees  and  plants,  and  sur 
rounded  by  a  stone  wall  five  feet  high.  There  are  wide 
double  gates  for  carriage  drives,  and  at  these  gates  the  dur- 
wan  (gate  or  doorkeeper)  sits  the  whole  day  long.  On  the 
west  side  of  the  street  runs  a  double  street-car  track,  and 
beyond  this  is  an  immense  common  parade  or  pleasure 
ground,  the  Maidan,  which  extends  to  the  Hoogley,  a  branch 
of  the  Ganges.  On  the  west  side  it  is  bounded  by  the 
Strand,  and  on  all  other  sides  by  a  macadamized  road  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide  and  planted  with  large, 
shady  trees  on  either  side.  The  east  side  of  this  road  is 
already  described.  On  the  north  side,  from  the  river  to 
Chowringhee  road,  between  Eden  Garden  and  the  palace,  it 
is  called  the  Esplanade.  Another  hundred-foot-wide  road 
runs  south  from  the  palace,  and  divides  the  ground  into 
halves.  This  is  called  the  Red  road  because  it  is  macadam 
ized  with  crushed  red  brick.  From  the  Red  road  opposite 
Fort  William  another  great  road  runs  to  Chowringhee  road. 
A  great  number  of  foot-paths  cross  each  other  in  all 
directions,  and  in  the  evening  these  are  crowded  with 
people  in  oriental  costumes  going  to  their  homes  in  the 
suburbs. 

Here  and  there  are  statues  erected  to  the  honor  of  promi 
nent  English  generals  and  statesmen,  and  certain  parts  of  the 
12 


178 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


grounds  are  also  dotted  with  small  groups  of  palms  and 
other  tropical  trees.  All  these  trees  and  plants  are  different 
from  those  growing  in  the  North.  Most  of  them  have  very 
broad  and  thick  leaves,  nearly  all  of  them  bear  beautiful 
flowers,  and  many  of  them  fruits.  They  are  green  the  whole 
year  round.  In  the  north-east  corner  of  the  grounds  is  a 
garden  of  about  forty  acres  which  is  called  Eden.  It  is  ex 
ceedingly  beautiful  and  contains  a  great  variety  of  trees  and 
flowers,  an  Indian  pagoda,  lakes,  canals  and  bridges,  and 
thousands  of  birds  enjoying  an  almost  undisturbed  existence, 
and  singing  and  twittering  among  the  trees  and  flowers. 
Eden  Garden  is  surrounded  by  a  low  brick  wall  with  several 


-%=pfci-=:?.;- • , 


GOVERNMENT    HOUSE. 


gates,  the  widest  of  which  is  the  one  next  to  the  Strand.  In 
side  this  gate  is  a  high  orchestra  stand,  and  below  a  square 
promenade  on  the  fine  grass  plat.  From  six  tc  seven  o'clock 
in  the  evening  a  military  band  plays  to  the  fashionable  world 
which  gathers  here  to  take  an  evening  walk. 

A  quarter  of  a  mile  below  the  Eden  garden  is  the  histor 
ical  Fort  William,  around  which  Lord  Clive  and  other  heroes 
struggled  to  found  the  British  Empire  of  India.  Below  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  179 

fort  and  next  to  the  Strand  is  the  drill-ground,  and  below 
this  again  a  large  race  course.  South  of  Maidan  are  several 
suburbs,  and  beyond  these  a  zoological  garden. 

Driving  past  the  imposing  orange-colored  palace  of  the 
viceroy,  called  the  government  house,  which  very  much  re 
sembles  our  capitol  at  Washington,  but  is  neither  so  large 
nor  so  elegant,  we  finally  strike  the  Esplanade,  where  the 
Chowringhee  road  meets  the  Red  road.  We  stop  a  few 
minutes  at  the  Esplanade  to  take  a  look  at  the  gay  picture. 
The  Esplanade  is  crowded  with  a  surging  mass  of  humanity, 
all  going  from  the  river  bank  to  their  homes  in  the  Eastern 
part  of  the  city.  It  is  the  sixth  day  of  the  new  moon,  and 
thousands  of  men,  women  and  children  have  been  down  to 
the  river,  washed  themselves  in  its  waters,  and  offered  sacri 
fices  consisting  of  fruits  and  flowers.  The  women  are  dressed 
in  white,  red,  yellow,  green,  blue  or  violet  garments.  The 
smallest  children  sit  astride  on  the  left  hip  of  their  mothers, 
the  men  carry  large  baskets  of  fruit,  mostly  bananas,  on 
their  heads  for  the  river-god  received  only  a  small  portion, 
and  the  rest  is  to  be  eaten  at  home.  Here  and  there  among 
the  pedestrians  is  a  well-to-do  Hindoo  who  takes  his  family, 
consisting  of  two  or  three  wives  and  a  crowd  of  children,  to 
the  river  in  an  ox-cart.  There  are  hundreds  of  musicians 

* 

and  peddlers  in  the  throng,  and  all  are  joyful  and  rejoicing. 
It  must  be  observed  that  only  people  of  the  lower  classes 
take  part  in  such  public  demonstrations  in  company  with 
women  and  children.  Fashionable  women  would  never 
walk  beyond  the  gardens  around  their  own  houses  and  do 
not  appear  in  company. 

Soon  carriages  are  seen  passing  by  in  long  rows,  either  do  wn 
the  Red  road  or  to  the  right  along  the  Esplanade  toward  the 
Strand.    We  follow  the  latter  and  arrive  at  the  river  bank  > 
where  thousands  of  people  are  yet  busy  with  their  sacrifices 
or  trading  with  peddlers  for  fancy  goods  and  dainties,  while 


180  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

others  listen  to  the  music  from  peculiarly  constructed  flutes 
and  drums,  which  vie  with  each  other  in  producing  the  most 
ear-rending  discord.  Elegantly  covered  carriages  swarm  in 
four  lines  up  and  down  the  road.  Most  of  the  occupants 
are  Englishmen  with  their  ladies;  but  you  may  also  see 
quite  a  number  of  Hindoo  princes  or  noblemen  with  their 
ladies  in  oriental  costumes,  or  Parsee  merchants  in  black 
silk  coats  and  high  caps.  To  the  right  there  is  a  veritable 
forest  of  ship's  masts  extending  along  the  beach  for  miles, 
and  to  the  left  some  native  soldiers  are  being  drilled.  We 
drive  down  and  have  a  chat  with  the  English  officers  and 
stop  to  see  a  game  of  polo  played,  the  native  cavalry  con 
testing  with  their  English  officers,  all  displaying  a  wonderful 
skill.  Every  now  and  then  a  couple  of  young  Englishmen  or 
officers  on  horseback  meet  each  other,  and  yonder  are  two 
half-naked  Hindoos  on  a  jog-trot  carrying  a  load  which 
looks  like  a  big  coffin,  but  which  turns  out  to  be  a  palanquin 
occupied  by  a  passenger  who,  in  an  inclined  position,  smokes 
his  cigar  and  takes  as  much  comfort  as  he  can  get  in  that 
primitive  mode  of  traveling.  But  see  there!  At  a  given 
sign  hundreds  of  men  arrange  themselves  in  long  rows  with 
their  faces  turned  to  the  west,  just  as  the  sun  sinks  below 
the  horizon;  they  prostrate  themselves  with  their  faces 
turned  toward  Mecca,  and  say  their  evening  prayers.  They 
are  Mohammedans. 

Returning  we  stop  at  the  gate  to  the  Eden  garden 
where  a  large  number  of  equipages  have  already  arrived  be 
fore  us,  compelling  us  to  wait  for  our  turn  to  drive  up  and 
get  out  of  the  carriage.  The  garden  is  now  illuminated  by 
thousands  of  gas  and  electric  lights ;  men,  women  and  children 
walk  forth  and  back  on  the  soft  grass  plats ;  the  military 
band  plays  well-known  tunes ;  Chinese,  Parsees,  Jews,  Hin 
doos  and  Arabs,  in  the  most  varied  costumes,  mingle  with 
each  other  and  with  the  Europeans.  There  are  plenty  of' 


STORY    OF    AN    EMIGRANT. 


181 


seats  for  such  as  wish  to  sit  down  and  rest;  but  it  is  now 
time  for  exercise,  and  they  walk  in  rows  often  or  more  until 
the  band  winds  up  its  program  for  the  evening  by 
playing  "God  save  the  Queen."  In  the  midst  of  a  general 


PARSEE    FAMILY. 

hurry  and  confusion  we  hunt  up  our  carriage  which  was  to 
stop  at  a  certain  spot,  and  return  to  the  crossroad  from 
which  the  roads  of  Maidan  as  well  as  the  streets  in  the  city 
may  be  seen  glimmering  in  the  gaslight  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach.  When  we  reach  home  it  is  just  time  to  dress  for  din 
ner,  which  generally  begins  at  eight  o'clock,  lasting  two  or 
three  hours.  As  to  fashionable  life,  social  pleasure,  display 
of  dress  and  finery,  etc.,  Calcutta  excels  every  other  place  in 
the  world. 


182  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

My  exequatur  not  having  arrived  from  London,  I  had  to 
obtain  a  special  recognition  from  the  viceroy  as  American 
consul-general,  after  which  my  formal  presentation  took 
place.  The  Marquis  of  Ripon  was  viceroy  during  my  stay  in 
India.  On  presenting  my  credentials  I  had  a  lengthy  conver 
sation  with  him,  and  learned  to  admire  him  from  thai 
moment.  From  my  memorandum  book  written  on  that  day 
I  quote  the  following: 

"Lord  Ripon  is  a  plain,  manly  man,  whose  character,  head,  and  heart 
would  have  made  him  a  great  man  even  if  he  had  been  born  in  obscurity, 
but  now  he  ranks  as  one  of  the  highest,  and  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  of  the 
English  nobles.  He  said,  among  other  things,  to  me:  'I  like  America  and 
her  people  very  much.  I  was  there  on  a  commission  which  tended  to  make 
America  and  England  better  friends,  and  all  such  efforts  are  well  worthy 
all  men  (he  referred  to  the  Alabama  treaty,  in  which  as  Earl  de  Gray  he 
was  one  of  the  commissioners).  With  American  and  English  ideas  of  liberty 
jt  is  hard  to  understand  how  to  rule  India.  I  would  educate  the  natives,' 
said  he,  'even  if  I  believed  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  English  power,  be 
cause  it  would  be  right  to  do  so;  but  I  don't  think  it  is  dangerous.  India  has 
always  had  a  few  very  able  and  highly-educated  men,  while  the  millions 
have  been  in  utter  ignorance  and  superstition,  and  such  a  condition  is  more 
dangerous  to  English  rule  than  if  all  are  raised  in  the  scale  of  knowledge. 
My  only  object,  and  I  think  England's,  in  India,  is  to  benefit  India.  Our 
schools  and  railroads  are  doing  away  with  ignorance,  and  are  fast  destroy 
ing  the  caste  system.  Considering  the  natives  as  enemies,  we  must  put  on 
a  bold  front  and  fear  no  danger,  but  be  always  on  the  guard.'  " 

Afterward  I  became  intimately  acquainted  with  this  truly 
noble  man,  and  was  proud  and  happy  to  be  counted  by  him 
as  one  of  his  very  few  friends  in  India  who  stood  by  him 
when  the  powerful  Anglo-Indian  bureaucracy  turned  against 
him  on  account  of  his  humane  efforts  to  raise  the  natives 
socially  and  politically.  Unfortunately  for  India,  she  has 
not  had  many  British  rulers  like  Lord  Ripon,  but  most  of 
them,  in  conjunction  with  the  office-holding  class,  rule 
India,  not  for  the  good  of  India,  but  for  their  own  interests. 

Our  British  friends  are  certainly  entitled  to  credit  for  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  183 

audacious  pluck  which  they  showed  when  a  handful  of  their 
soldiers  and  citizens  conquered  that  great  country  with  its 
innumerable  inhabitants.  The  only  thing,  however,  that 
made  it  possible  to  do  so,  and  which  makes  it  possible  to 
hold  India  to-day,  is  the  internal  strifes,  the  jealousies  and  the 
religious  intolerance  among  the  natives  themselves.  If  they 
were  united  they  could  free  the  country  from  the  foreigners 
in  a  month.  But  why  should  they?  The  country  is  better 
governed  than  ever  before,  and  it  is  gaining  fast  in  progress 
and  prosperity.  Still  there  is  a  deep  hidden  feeling  of  ill-will 
toward  the  English,  and  the  time  will  yet  come  when  a  ter 
rible  struggle  will  be  fought  in  India.  Perhaps  Russia  will 
have  a  hand  in  the  fight.  It  will  be  a  bloody,  savage  war, 
and  will  cause  Great  Britain  serious  trouble.  I  said  that 
India  is  better  ruled  now  than  ever  before ;  but  that  is  not 
saying  much,  for  it  ought  to  be  ruled  still  better  and  more 
in  the  interest  of  the  natives.  India  has  civil  service  with  a 
vengeance,  the  office-holding  class  being  even  more  arrogant, 
proud  and  independent  than  the  titled  nobility.  They  rule 
the  country  with  an  iron  hand,  regard  it  simply  as  a  field 
for  gathering  in  enormous  salaries,  and  after  twenty-five 
years'  service  they  return  to  England  with  a  grand  India 
pension.  The  English  look  down  upon  the  lower  classes 
with  haughty  contempt,  chiefly  because  the  latter  try  to  in 
sinuate  themselves  into  favor  with  the  former  by  means 
of  all  kinds  of  flattery.  Nobody  is  of  any  account  in  India 
unless  he  is  an  officer,  either  civil  or  military ;  hence  all  the 
best  talent  is  circumscribed  within  narrow  office  routine 
limits,  and  nothing  is  left  for  the  peaceful  industrial  pur 
suits  except  what  the  government  may  undertake  to  do,  and 
that  is  usually  confined  to  railroad  and  canal  improvements. 
England  wants  India  for  a  market,  therefore  nothing  is 
done  to  encourage  manufactures,  but  ratherto  cripple  them. 
With  the  cheapest  and  most  skilled  labor  in  the  world,  the 


184  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

natives  of  India  are  compelled  to  buy  even  the  cotton  gar 
ments  they  wear  from  England  though  thev  raise  the  cotton 
themselves,  and  England  is  very  careful  not  to  establish  a 
nrotective  tariff  in  India. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

An  Indian  Fete — The  Prince  of  Burdwan — Indian  Luxury— The  Riches  and 
Romantic  Life  of  an  Indian  Prince— Poverty  and  Riches 


I  shall  now  invite  my  reader  to  accompany  me  to  the  city 
of  Burdwan,  which  is  situated  about  seventy  miles  north  of 
Calcutta,  for  the  purpose  of  attending  an  Indian  fete  to 
which  I  was  invited  shortly  after  my  arrival  at  Calcutta. 
Burdwan  is  the  name  of  an  old  principality  (as  well  as  of  its 
capital)  situated  on  the  great  Indian  railway.  The  princi 
pality  of  Burdwan  is  now  under  the  English  government, 
but  it  has  its  own  maharajah,  or  prince,  to  whom  the  En 
glish  government  grants  certain  rights  over  the  people  and 
property  of  this  principality.  The  ruling  prince  during  my 
stay  in  India  was  a  young  man  of  about  twenty-two  years. 
He  had  a  good  European  education,  spoke  English  well,  and 
had,  to  a  great  extent,  adopted  European  manners  and 
customs.  His  name  was  Aftab  Chand  Muhtab  Bahadur. 
In  the  beginning  of  December,  1881,  he  was  installed  as 
maharajah  of  Burdwan  by  Sir  Ashley  Eden,  at  which  time 
he  came  into  actual  possession  of  his  inherited  rights ;  and 
this  event  was  celebrated  by  great  festivities  in  the  palace 
and  city  of  Burdwan. 

The  fete  which  commenced  December  fifth  and  closed  De 
cember  tenth  was  celebrated  according  to  a  well-chosen  pro 
gram  for  each  day.  About  fifty  English  civil  and  military 
officers  with  their  families  were  invited  as  guests  to  the 

185 


186  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

palace.  Some  of  them  occupied  rooms  in  the  palace,  others 
lived  in  tents  pitched  in  military  order  in  the  palace  garden, 
and  about  three  hundred  Indian  guests  were  lodged  in  pri 
vate  houses  in  the  city.  I  was  the  only  foreign  guest,  and 
was  assigned  a  neat  pavilion,  built  partly  over  an  artificial 
lake  in  the  garden,  and  the  second  place  of  honor  at  all 
ceremonies — an  honor  \vhich  was,  of  course,  due  to  the  repub 
lic  which  I  represented. 

The  palace  consisted  of  several  large  buildings  twoorthree 
stories  high,  and  several  small  pavilions,  all  in  Italian  style, 
situated  in  a  park  or  garden  of  some  forty  acres,  and  sur 
rounded  by  a  stone  wall  twelve  feet  high,  with  two  beautiful 
porticos.  The  largest  building  contained  the  private  apart 
ments  of  the  prince,  two  large  parlors,  two  dining  halls,  a 
ball  room,  a  billiard  room,  a  library,  several  picture  galler 
ies  and  a  large  armory, — all  of  them  furnished  in  the  most 
expensive  and  magnificent  style.  The  floors  and  stairways 
were  of  Italian  marble,  and  the  walls  of  the  large  parlors 
adorned  by  huge  mirrors  set  in  frames  inlaid  with  emeralds, 
rubies,  and  other  precious  stones.  Sculptures  of  marble 
from  Italy,  of  porphyry  and  alabaster  from  Egypt,  and 
porcelain  vases  from  China,  etc.,  adorned  the  corridors  and 
niches  of  the  halls  of  the  main  building. 

Another  large  building  was  inhabited  by  the  women, 
among  whom  the  mother  of  the  prince  is  the  mistress;  but 
they  themselves,  as  well  as  the  interior  of  their  palace,  re 
main  concealed  from  the  gaze  of  the  guests.  Elegant  car 
riages  with  drivers,  servants  and  grooms  in  oriental  liver}*, 
caparisoned  horses,  saddles  and  bridles  shining  with  gold  and 
silver  trimmings,  were  day  and  night  at  the  disposition 
of  the  guests,  and  at  his  arrival  every  guest  received  a  small 
blank  book  with  fifty  leaves  on  which  to  write  his  name  and 
the  kind  of  refreshment  he  wished,  and  hundreds  of  servants 
dressed  in  white  were  always  ready  to  fetch  it  to  him  in 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


187 


the  palace  garden,  at  the  race  courses,  or  in  the  summer 
houses. 

The  festivities  and  merriments  were  arranged  so  that 
every  guest  had  perfect  liberty  and  sufficient  time  to  follow 
his  own  taste.  The  following  may  serve  as  an  illustration: 

On  Wesdnesday,  De 
cember  7th,  at  half- 
past  seven  o'clock,  a 
high  school  was  in 
spected,  and  the  gov 
ernor  of  Bengal  distrib 
uted  prizes  among  the 
scholars ;  at  ten  break- 
fas  t  in  the  large  dining 
hall;  at  twelve  the  in 
stalment  of  the  young 
prince;  at  two  lunch 
eon;  at  three  the 
opening  of  the  races; 
at  half-past  seven  il 
lumination 
ro technics  ; 

grand  dinner ;  at  ten  a 
ball  in  the  palace  for  the 
Europeans;  andnautch 
dancing  and  music  by 
native  women  in  a  pa- 
NAUTCH  DANCER.  vilion  in  the  garden. 

One  day  a  canal  was  opened  and  dedicated.  It  was  twenty 
miles  long,  and  built  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  several 
cities  and  country  districts  with  an  abundance  of  water. 
All  the  streets  and  roads  in  and  around  Burdwan  were  in  a 
splendid  condition,  wide  and  macadamized  with  crushed 
brick.  From  the  railroad  station  to  the  palace  and  two 


and 


at     eight 


188 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


miles  beyond  to  two  villas,  as  well  as  along  the  principal 
streets  in  the  city,  and  along  all  paths  and  roads  in  the 
palace  garden,  bamboo  poles  forty  feet  long  were  erected  on 
both  sides,  and  about  forty  feet  apart.  These  poles  were  all 
wrapped  in  red  and  white  glazed  paper,  and  had  flags  at  the 
top.  The  poles  were  connected  by  lines  along  which  colored 
glass  lamps  were  suspended  six  inches  apart,  and  these  were 
all  lighted  at  six  o'clock.  I  was  told  that  there  were  over 
forty  thousand  such  lamps,  and  that  it  took  five  hundred 


COLLEGE    BUILDING. 

men  to  fill,  light,  and  attend  to  them.  From  nine  to  twelve 
o'clock  every  night  an  electric  light  was  beaming  from  one 
of  the  palace  towers,  and  Wednesday  evening  there  wrs  a 
magnificent  display  of  pyrotechnics  around  an  artificial  lak? 
about  a  mile  from  the  palace.  The  latter  cost  about  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars.  Its  effect  on  men,  animals,  and  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  189 

tropical  plants  was  such  that  a  man  from  the  North  found 
it  difficult  to  realize  that  he  was  still  on  this  earth  of  ours, 
and  not  far  away  in  the  fairy  world  of  fiction. 

Reality  is  so  wonderful  in  India  that  I  have  hardly  dared 
1  o  tell  the  following  without  gradually  preparing  my  reader 
for  it.     This  young  prince,   whose  guest  I  was   and  with 
whom  I  talked  a  good  deal,  is  a  poor  foundling,  having 
been  adopted  by  the  old  prince,  who  died  childless,  and  by 
the  consent  of  the  English  government  he  was  made  his  sole 
heir.    His  landed  estates  were  so  large  that  he  paid  two 
million  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  the  English  gov 
ernment  in  annual  taxes  on  the  income  from  his  lands !   How 
large  his  total  income  is,  nobody  knows.     Inside  the  palace 
walls,  which  were  protected  by  a  strong  body-guard  night 
and  day,   were  deep  subterranean   vaults  with    secret  en 
trances,  where  gold  and  jewels  \vere  concealed  in  such  quan 
tities  as  may  be  imagined  only  when  it  is  remembered  that 
during  a  period  of  three  hundred  years  the  family  has  been 
accustomed  to  accumulate  these  treasures  by  at  least  three 
"lacs  rupees,"  or  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars,  a 
year.     But  during  the  same  time    millions  upon  millions 
of  people  have  starved  to  death  in  the  principality  of  Bur- 
dwan,  and  even  now  it  is  safe  to  say  that  nine-tenths  of  the 
people  who  cultivate  the  soil  and  live  on  the  estates  of  the 
maharajah  and  pay  him  tribute  are  so  poor  that  they  could 
scarcely  sustain  their  life  a  single  month  in  case  of  drought 
or  inundations. 

To  describe  the  whole  fete  would  require  a  whole  book, 
and  I  therefore  select  the  installation  ceremony,  which,  by 
the  way,  was  the  most  important  of  the  festivities.  It  took 
place  in  a  small  mango  forest,  about  a  mile  from  the  palace. 
A  pleasant  country  road,  decorated  with  banners  and 
spanned  by  triumphal  arches  covered  with  flowers,  led  to 
the  place.  At  nt  pavilion  sixty  feet  long  and  forty  feet  wide 


190  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

was  erected  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  road.  The 
tent  was  supported  b j  forty  pillars  covered  with  silver  tinsel 
paper,  and  the  canvas  consisted  of  heavy  linen  woven  in 
many-colored  squares,  which  were  about  three  feet  each  way. 
The  sides  of  the  tent  were  open,  and  between  each  of  the 
outer  pillars  was  stationed  a  Hindoo  soldier  dressed  in 
shoes,  gray  stockings,  black  knee  breeches,  and  a  red  coat, 
one  half  of  which  was  embroidered  with  gold  and  silver, 
while  the  head  was  covered  by  a  red  turban  richly  adorned 
with  gold  ornaments.  These  soldiers  were  gigantic,  dark 
figures,  armed  with  curved  sabres  and  long  jances.  They 
stood  immovable  as  statues,  and  only  the  rolling  of  their 
flashing  eye-balls  showed  that  they  were  living  men.  At  the 
upper  end  of  the  tent  was  an  elevated  platform  with  a  gilt 
chair  for  the  governor,  and  behind  this,  chairs  for  the 
European  ladies.  From  the  platform  to  the  entrance  at  the 
opposite  end  was  an  aisle,  on  each  side  of  which  were  four 
rows  of  chairs  for  the  guests,  all  numbered  and  placed 
according  to  their  rank.  The  aisle  and  the  walk  to  the 
country  road  were  covered  \vith  expensive  Persian  rugs,  and 
chamberlains  in  dazzling  costumes  conducted  the  guests 
from  the  carriages  to  the  seats  assigned  to  them  in  the  tent. 
The  European  officers  were  seated  on  the  first  row  to  the 
right,  and  the  Hindoo  princes  and  noblemen  on  the  first  row 
to  the  left,  with  the  young  maharajah  next  to  the  platform. 
The  other  chairs  were  occupied  by  Hindoo  and  Mohamme 
dan  zemindars  (proprietors  of  landed  estates),  scholars,  and 
dignitaries. 

A  most  splendid  display  of  costumes  in  satin  and  velvet  in 
all  possible  colors  and  fashions,  all  of  them  richly  adorned 
with  gold  and  silver  trimming  and  embroideries,  besides 
glittering  necklaces  and  diamond  rings,  added  brilliantly 
to  the  .scene.  All  the  natives  kept  their  headdresses  on, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  191 

most  of  them  wearing  low  turbans  of  colored  or  white  silk, 
ornamented  with  gold,  pearls  and  gems. 

Only  the  prince  of  Burdwan  and  the  young  prince  of 
Kutch  Behar  were  armed,  and  these  only  with  Damascus 
cimeters.  The  prince  of  Burdwan  wore  a  purple  satin  gar 
ment,  red  silk  shoes  and  a  high  cap  in  the  shape  of  a  crown. 
His  breast,  neck,  headdress  and  hands  glittered  with  diamonds 
and  rubies.  Over  this  garment  he  wore  a  mantle  of  dark 
yellow  cloth,  which  was  very  artistically  woven,  and  cost 
about  ten  thousand  dollars.  Most  of  the  native  nobles  dis 
tinguished  themselves  by  a  stately,  military  bearing,  looking 
both  handsome  and  intelligent.  Some  of  them  were  very 
dark,  but  most  had  about  the  same  complexion  as  the  Span 
iards.  Jet  black  hair  and  black,  flashing  eyes  were  universal, 
only  a  single  one  having  dark  red  dair  and  beard. 

When  all  had  been  seated  the  governor,  accompanied  by 
two  adjutants  and  several  servants,  arrived.  A  guard  of 
honor,  consisting  of  one  hundred  Sepoys,  was  stationed  in 
front  of  the  tent,  and  saluted  the  governor  by  presenting 
arms,  during  which  the  military  band  played  an  English 
national  tune.  Eight  huge  elephants  were  arranged  in  a 
row  between  the  road  and  the  tent ;  these  were  covered  by 
rich  caparisons  adorned  with  heavy  gold  and  silver  embroid 
eries,  and  carrying  on  their  backs  small  pavilions  in  which 
richly  dressed  drivers  walked  a  few  steps  back  and  forth. 
At  the  door  of  the  tent  the  governor  was  received  by  eight 
artistically  uniformed  aids -de -camp  carrying  marshal's 
staffs,  silver  horns,  lances  and  perfumes. 

The  act  of  installation  was  now  in  order,  and  was  per 
formed  in  the  following  manner:  The  maharajah  stepped 
up  before  the  governor  and  received  from  his  hand  a  parch 
ment  roll,  by  which  the  queen  conferred  authority.  Hav 
ing  read  this  in  a  loud  and  solemn  voice,  the  governor 
hung  a  chain  of  diamonds  and  rubies  around  the  neck  of  the 


192  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

prince,  and  made  a  short  congratulatory  address  to  him. 
The  minister  of  finance  brought  a  silver  basin  filled  with 
Indian  gold  coins,  which  he  handed  to  the  governor  as  an 
emblem  of  tribute  to  the  English  government.  The  prince 
now  resumed  his  seat,  and  two  chamberlains  brought  gold 
vessels  on  silver  trays  containing  attar  of  roses,  and  two 
others  brought  spices  in  similar  receptacles.  The  attar  of 
roses  was  sprinkled  over  the  audience,  and  each  one  of  the 
native  guests  received  a  small  quantity  of  spices  wrapped  in 
a  palm  leaf.  Finally  the  band  struck  up  a  march,  and  the 
-whole  retinue  returned  to  the  carriages  by  the  road  side  and 
drove  back  to  the  palace.  One  of  the  carriages  of  the  pro 
cession  was  loaded  with  silver  coins,  which  were  thrown 
right  and  left  to  the  thousands  of  poor  and  beggars,  who 
crowded  the  road  on  both  sides.  In  the  evening,  again,  pro 
visions  and  clothing  were  distributed  to  about  fifteen  thou 
sand  poor,  who  had  flocked  in  from  all  parts  of  Burdwan, 
but  who  had  not  been  allowed  to  enter  the  city. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Allahabad— Sacred  Places— Kumbh  Mela  —  Pilgrimages  —  Bathing  in  the 
Ganges— Fakirs  and  Penitents — Sacred  Rites— Superstitions. 


Allahabad  means  the  dwelling  of  God,  and  the  Hindoos 
regard  it  as  one  of  the  most  sacred  places  of  India.  It  is  a 
city  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  and  has 
a  strong  fortress  with  an  English  garrison.  It  is  the  seat  of 
the  government  of  the  north-western  provinces,  and  is  situ 
ated  on  a  point  of  land  between  the  rivers  Ganges  and 
Jumna,  on  the  great  Indian  railroad,  about  five  hundred 
and  sixty-five  miles  from  Calcutta,  and  about  the  same  dis 
tance  from  the  Bay  of  Persia. 

In  a  tropical  climate  where  rain  seldom  falls  during  nine 
months  of  the  year,  it  is  quite  natural  that  the  people 
regard  streams  and  rivers  as  their  greatest  benefactors, 
and  by  means  of  the  vivid  imagination  of  the  South  this  sen 
timent  has  occasionally  been  developed  into  religious 
worship  and  idolatry.  In  this  manner  the  great  Ganges, 
which  flows  nearly  through  the  entire  length  of  India,  has, 
since  time  immemorial,  been  regarded  as  sacred,  as  have 
also  all  places  where  three  rivers  meet.  At  Allahabad  the 
Jumna  meets  the  sacred  Ganges,  thus  affording  two  of  the 
necessary  conditions  to  make  the  place  sacred,  and  it  was 
easy  for  the  fertile  imagination  of  the  Brahmins  to  create 
the  third,  which  is  said  to  consist  in  a  spiritual  current  from 
above,  pouring  down  continually  at  the  point  where  the 

13  193 


194  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Jumna  and  the  Ganges  meet  and  mingle.  It  is  claimed  that 
this  invisible  river  is  very  abundant,  especially  in  the  month 
of  Magh,  from  the  middle  of  January  to  the  middle  of  Feb 
ruary,  but  the  most  favorable  period  in  this  respect  is  under 
the  astrormcal  cycle  Yuga,  which  occurs  every  twelfth  year 
in  the  month  of  Magh,  and  is  called  "Kumbh."  This  oc 
curred  in  1882,  which  was  therefore  a  very  important  year 
for  the  Hindoos. 

To  bathe  in  the  Ganges  always  means  a  spiritual  purifica 
tion,  and  to  bathe  there  where  the  three  rivers  meet  at  Alla 
habad  in  the  month  of  Magh  is  a  very  sacred  rite.  Every 
good  Hindoo  endeavors,  if  possible,  to  bathe  at  this  place  at 
least  once  during  his  lifetime ;  but  to  bathe  there  during  the 
Kumbh  Mela,  or  the  twelfth  year's  cycle,  is  the  most  sacred 
act  a  Hindoo  can  perform,  and  such  a  bath  is  said  to  atone 
for  the  greatest  sins  both  of  the  bather  and  his  nearest  rela 
tives,  be  they  living  or  dead.  Out  of  the  immense  population 
of  India,  one  hundred  and  ninety  millions  profess  the  above 
faith.  Being  a  very  religious  people  in  their  way,  and  testify 
ing  to  their  faith  by  their  works,  it  is  no  great  wonder  that 
Allahabad  in  the  course  of  four  weeks  was  visited  by  nearly 
two  million  pilgrims,  who  came  there  only  for  the  purpose 
of  bathing  in  the  sacred  river.  Partly  from  curiosity  and 
partly  in  order  to  obtain  reliable  information,  I  also  made  a 
short  pilgrimage  to  this  place. 

I  said  that  nearly  two  million  people  visited  Allahabad 
during  the  Kumbh  Mela,  which  I  attended.  They  came  from 
all  parts  of  India,  men  and  women,  young  and  old,  but  es 
pecially  the  old,  of  all  classes  from  the  beggar  to  the  prince, 
of  all  castes  from  the  despised  coolie  to  the  haughty  Brah 
min.  They  came  on  crowded  railroad  trains,  or  on  elephants, 
camels,  horses,  asses,  in  ox-carts  and  in  boats  on  the  rivers, 
but  most  of  them  on  foot  along  roads  and  pathways,  across 
fields  and  meadows,  the  living  ones  carrying  the  ashes  of 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


195 


the  cremated  bodies  of  their  dead  relatives  to  throw  them 
in  the  holy  river.  Many  of  them  had  traveled  great  dis 
tances  and  been  on  the  journey  for  months.  Old  men  who 
did  not  expect  to  return  to  their  homes,  but  were  in  hopes  of 
finding  a  grave  in  the  sacred  waters,  and  had  said  good-bye 


INDIAN    CART. 


to  everything  which  bound  them  to  life ;  cripples  and  inva 
lids  expecting  to  be  cured  on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges,  con 
gregated  in  large  numbers  at  this  sacred  place.  Fanatical 
penitents  came  crawling  on  hands  and  feet;  holy  Fakirs  had 
measured  the  way  by  the  length  of  their  own  bodies  for 
scores  of  miles.  The  penitent  Fakir  who  travels  in  this 
manner  lies  down  on  the  ground  with  his  head  toward  the 
place  of  destination,  makes  a  mark  in  the  ground  in  front  of 
his  head,  and  crawls  forward  the  length  of  his  body  and  lies 
down  again  with  the  feet  where  he  had  his  head  before;  a 
new  mark,  another  movement  ahead,  etc.,  and  so  he  keeps 
on,  one  length  of  his  body  at  a  time,  until  he  reaches  the 


196 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


holy  river.  During  this  journey  the  Fakir  is  surrounded  and 
followed  by  a  large  concourse  of  people  who  furnish  him 
with  food  and  drink,  and  regard  him  as  a  saint.  There  are 
instances  of  men  having  traveled  over  five  hundred  miles  in 
this  manner.  Every  day  and  hour  the  crowd  was  increased 
by  new  arrivals,  until  the  river  banks,  the  fields  and  roads 
swarmed  with  countless  masses, —  a  most  wonderful  gather 
ing.  Thousands  of  Brahmins  offered  their  services  to  guide 


FAKIRS. 

and  bless  the  pilgrims,  most  always  for  a  valuable  consid 
eration;  thousands  of  peddlers  sold  small  idols,  flower 
wreaths,  rosaries,  and  other  sacred  objects  at  high  prices ; 
others  peddled  rice,  fruit,  thin  bread  and  other  provisions, 
and  thousands  of  barbers  cut  the  hair  and  shaved  the  tem 
ples  of  the  pilgrims.  There,  in  the  shade  of  some  mango  trees 
a  Hindoo  prince  had  gone  into  camp  with  his  elephants, 
horses,  soldiers  and  servants,  the  retinue  consisting  of  about 
two  hundred  people;  and  yonder  in  the  shadeless  valley 
is  a  camp  of  a  thousand  or  more  Fakirs  huddled  together. 
Many  are  entirely  naked,  others  are  protected  by  a  few 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  197 

yards  of  dirty  cotton  cloth,  most  of  them  sprinkled  with 
ashes  or  dry  clay,  their  faces  streaked  in  gray,  red  or  yellow 
colors,  and  the  hair  done  up  in  the  shape  of  a  chignon  and 
held  together  with  wet  clay ;  but  although  presenting  a  pict 
ure  of  dire  \vant  in  their  persons  they  have  in  the  camp  a 
large  herd  of  costly  elephants  richly  adorned  with  covers  of 
satin  and  velvet  embroideried  in  gold,  silver,  precious  stones 
and  gems,  proving  that  their  begging  has  not  been  in  vain. 

On  the  river  bank  is  the  headquarters  of  the  pilgrims  from 
one  of  the  Southern  provinces,  and  over  yonder  that  of  those 
from  the  North  or  East.  Everywhere  is  heard  the  noise  of 
trading  and  bargaining,  of  greeting  and  ecstacy,  of  laughter 
and  astonishment,  and  of  the  moaning  and  cries  of  the  sick 
and  suffering — indeed  a  regular  pandemonium. 

The  February  sun  already  shone  scorchingly  hot  upon  the 
low,  shadeless  valley,  the  thermometer  rising  to  90°.  In  the 
night,  however,  it  was  unusually  cold  for  that  country,  and 
most  of  the  pilgrims  being  poor  and  their  clothing  and  food 
wretched,  dangerous  diseases  began  to  break  out  among  the 
weak  and  exhausted.  The  terrible  cholera  claimed  numerous 
victims  every  day,  many  died  from  weakness  and  negligence, 
others  again  perished  through  accidents  on  land  and  water, 
for  nobody  seemed  to  be  very  particular  about  human  life, 
since  death  just  there  was  considered  so  very  desirable. 
Along  the  shores  of  the  river  flickered  hundreds  of  fires,  at 
which  the  remains  of  the  dead  are  burned  to  ashes  and  scat 
tered  into  the  river  by  the  officiating  Brahmins,  to  the  in 
finite  edification  of  the  relatives  of  the  dead. 

The  Hindoos  are  a  very  peaceful  and  loyal  people,  and 
willingly  submit  to  order  and  discipline.  Thus  designated 
groups  were  conducted  to  the  water  at  certain  times  and 
places,  which  was  highly  necessary,  as  otherwise  the  strong 
would  have  trampled  down  and  crushed  the  weak. 

The  first  ceremony  consists  in  shaving  the  head,  or  at 


198  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

least  the  front  part  of  it ;  the  hair  which  is  cut  off  ought  to 
be  offered  to  the  Ganges,  but  the  barber  smuggles  most  of  it 
out  of  the  way,  to  be  sold  in  more  civilized  countries.  From 
the  barber  the  pilgrim  is  turned  over  to  the  care  of  the  Brah 
min,  who  leads  him  down  into  the  river,  under  the  following 
ceremonies:  The  Brahmin  repeats  a  Sanscrit  formula 
which  is  called  "Sankalpa,"  and  which  states  that  "the  pil 
grim  N.  N.  on  the  day  X.  of  the  month  Y.,  and  in  the  year  Z., 
takes  his  bath  in  the  sacred  water  for  the  purpose  and  inten 
tion  of  cleansing  himself  from  all  sins  and  frailties,"  after 
which  the  pilgrim  immerses  himself  several  times  under  the 
water  and  rinses  his  mouth  with  a  handful  of  it,  after  a  few 
minutes  returning  to  the  shore  where  he  is  at  once  sur 
rounded  by  peddlers  who  offer  him  flowers,  milk  and  lean 
cows  or  goats  for  sale  at  an  exorbitant  price.  He  always 
buys  the  flowers  and  the  milk  and  offers  them  to  the  river, 
and,  if  he  has  sufficient  money,  he  buys  a  cow  or  a  goat  and 
offers  it  to  the  Brahmin ;  but  if  his  means  are  too  limited  the 
latter  must  be  content  with  the  few  coins  the  pilgrim  can 
spare.  Most  of  them,  however,  have  brought  a  handsome 
offering  to  the  Brahmin,  because  they  regard  the  duty 
toward  him  just  as  important  as  the  duty  toward  the  river 
god. 

Then  follows  the  "Shiadda"  ceremony,  consisting  of  an 
offering  of  cake,  sugar,  plums  and  dainties  to  the  ghosts  of 
their  deceased  relatives ;  next  a  banquet  is  spread  before  the 
Brahmins,  the  sacred  places  of  the  vicinity  are  visited,  offer- 
ngs  are  made  at  most  of  these,  and  a  present  called  "vi- 
dagi"  is  made  to  the  Brahmin  who  has  attended  to  the 
spiritual  wants  of  the  giver. 

And  now  the  object  of  the  long  and  arduous  journey  is 
accomplished,  the  pilgrimage,  "tisthayatra,"  is  successfully 
performed,  and  the  cleansed  sinner  stands  ready  to  begin  a 
new  record  of  sin.  He  has  been  plundered  of  his  last  penny, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  199 

and,  if  he  succeeds  in  reaching  his  distant  home,  his  neigh 
bors  and  friends  will  look  up  to  him  as  an  exceptionally 
happy  being,  and  his  own  soul  is  filled  with  the  hope  of  tem 
poral  and  eternal  bliss. 

Those  who  have  reaped  the  pecuniary  benefits  of  the 
pilgrimage  are  the  Brahmins  and  Fakirs,  the  former  through 
offerings  and  the  latter  through  begging.  They  have  filled 
their  coffers  and  collected  large  herds  of  cattle,  and  now 
they  can  lead  a  gay  and  happy  life  until  the  next  Mela,  when 
they  will  again  try  to  fan  the  dying  embers  of  enthusiasm 
into  a  flame  b}^  sending  emissaries  all  over  India  for  the  pur 
pose  of  convincing  the  credulous  populace  that  it  is  greatly 
to  be  feared  that  the  Ganges  will  soon  lose  its  powei  of 
salvation,  and  that  therefore  as  many  as  possible  ought  to 
come  next  time,  which  may  be  the  last  chance. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Benares,  the  Holy  City  of  the  Hindoos — Its  Temples  and  Worshipers — The 
Sacred  Monkeys. 


Returning  from  Allahabad  I  visited  Benares,  the  holy  city 
of  India  and  the  centre  of  Hindooism  or  Brahminism,  its 
religion,  art  and  literature.  It  is  situated  on  an  elevation  on 

o 

the  east  bank  of  the  Ganges  about  four  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  miles  from  Calcutta.  Benares  is  to  the  Hindoos  what 
Jerusalem  was  to  the  Jews,  Rome  to  the  mediaeval  Chris 
tians,  and  what  Mecca  is  to  the  Mohammedans,  and  it  is 
visited  by  thousands  of  pilgrims  and  penitents  every  year. 
The  learned  men  or  Pundits  of  India  have  their  academies 
and  gatherings  there,  and  many  of  its  princes  and  nobles 
have  their  costly  palaces  in  which  they  usually  spend  a  few 
weeks  every  year. 

The  whole  city  seems  abandoned  to  sacrificing  priests 
and  idolatry  in  its  most  disgusting  forms.  There  are  one 
thousand  four  hundred  temples  for  idols,  and  nearly  three 
hundred  mosques,  besides  hundred  of  shrines,  holy  graves, 
wells,  tiees  and  other  objects  of  Hindoo  worship.  Benares 
is  a  very  old  city ;  great  and  renowned  when  Babylon  and 
Nineveh  were  competing  with  each  other;  when  Tyre  sent 
out  her  colonists;  when  Athens  was  in  her  infancy;  before 
Rome  existed,  and  long  before  Nebuchadnezzar  had  carried 
the  Israelites  into  captivity. 

We  are  accustomed  to  look  at  hoary  ruins  with  reverent 

200 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


201 


interest,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  first  sight  of  the  his 
torical  monuments  of  Benares  made  a  profound  impression 
on  my  mind.  I  felt  almost  as  if  transported  to  a  time  far 
back  in  the  misty  past,  and  found  it  difficult  to  realize  that  I 


HINDOO    TEMPLES. 


walked  the  same  streets,  lanes  and  market  places  where  the 
Babylonian  heralds  of  war  and  the  ambassadors  of  Alex 
ander  the  Great  were  received  by  the  same  people  whose 


202  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

descendants  still  inhabit  the  same  city,  and  have  retained 
the  same  civilization  and  the  same  institutions  through  all  the 
intervening  centuries. 

The  sun  cast  its  last  rays  over  the  memorable  city  when  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  it  for  the  first  time.  At  a  distance 
of  two  miles  I  could  see  the  palaces  and  temples  with  their 
domes,  cupolas,  and  minarets  merged  into  a  confused  mass, 
and  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  towered  the  renowned  mosque 
of  Emperor  Arungzebes  with  two  minarets,  the  spires  of 
which  rise  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
Ganges.  It  was  a  beautiful  oriental  picture,  the  most  beau 
tiful  I  had  yet  seen. 

The  next  morning  at  sunrise  a  Mohammedan  dragoman 
or  interpreter  took  me  down  the  river  in  a  boat,  and  in  the 
course  of  an  hour  we  passed,  according  to  the  estimate 
of  the  interpreter,  over  twenty  thousand  bathing  Hindoos. 
Every  two  miles  are  built  ghats,  or  broad  flights  of  steps 
down  to  river,  some  of  these  being  eighty  feet  high.  Along 
the  edge  of  the  water  Brahmins  are  squatting  about  twenty 
feet  apart  under  large  sun  shades  made  of  palm  leaves  in  the 
form  of  an  umbrella.  These  Brahmins  have  a  certain 
inherited  right  to  these  little  spots  where  they  have  thus 
raised  their  sun  shades  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  an  offer 
ing  from  every  bather.  Men  and  women  bathe  side  by  side. 
They  all  go  into  the  water  in  their  thin  cotton  suits,  and 
everything  is  conducted  with  order  and  decorum. 

After  the  bath  flowers  are  offered  to  the  river,  and  oils  and 
fruits  to  the  Brahmin. 

A  short  distance  above  the  edge  of  the  water  is  an  open 
place  for  the  cremation  of  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  and  on  the 
river  close  by  are  scores  of  boats  and  barges  loaded  with 
wood  which  is  cut  into  small  sticks  and  is  used  for  the  fu 
neral-pyres.  We  stopped  a  few  minutes  here  while  three 
corpses  were  brought  on  biers.  They  were  covered  by  a 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  203 

white  cloth  with  a  red  dye-stuff  scattered  over  the  chest. 
The  body  was  first  immersed  in  the  river  and  then  placed  on 
its  pyre,  which  was  kindled  by  the  nearest  relative  of  the  de 
ceased.  After  the  cremation  the  ashes  were  scattered  on  the 
river  by  the  Brahmin,  who,  of  course,  charged  a  round  sum 
for  these  highly  important  services. 

We  next  \\  ent  up  the  high  steps  and  visited  several  temples 
and  other  objects  of  interest  of  which  I  shall  give  a  brief 
description. 

The  Hindoo  temples  are  not  so  large  as  our  churches,  but 
only  from  fifteen  to  forty  feet  square,  and  their  style  of  archi 
tecture  is  frequently  very  pleasing  to  the  eye.  They  contain 
no  seats  or  pulpits,  and  the  ceremonies  consist  exclusively  of 
offerings,  prayers,  and  signs.  People  come  and  go  inces 
santly,  there  is  no  silence  or  devotion,  but  all  is  noise  and 
turmoil.  The  Brahmins  glide  quietly  around  everywhere 
and  watch  closely  so  that  no  one  escapes  until  he  or  she  has 
parted  with  as  much  loose  change  as  possible,  and  it  fre 
quently  happens  that  the  Brahmin  and  the  worshiper  get 
into  a  loud  quarrel  about  the  fee  which  the  latter  is  to  pay 
for  the  benediction. 

We  ascended  an  eight -foot -wide  street  paved  with  large 
flag  stones,  which  -were  crowded  with  endless  rows  of  peo 
ple  coming  out  or  going  into  the  temples  on  either  side.  To 
some  of  these  a  few  steps  led  downward,  to  others  up 
ward. 

In  some  of  the  nooks  and  niches  formed  by  the  outer  walls 
of  the  temple  sat  peddlers  selling  ornaments,  flowers,  fruit, 
boiled  rice,  popcorn,  confectioneries,  and  small  idols,  of 
stone,  porcelain,  or  metal. 

We  stepped  into  the  so-called  golden  temple,  dedicated  to 
Bishashar,  or  Shiva,  the  most  prominent  deity  of  Benares. 
Like  most  of  the  temples  it  is  built  of  brick,  and  has  a  gray 
coat  of  plastering  on  the  outside.  It  has  three  domes  which 


204 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


are  covered  with  colored  metal,  and  the  interior  is  divided 
into  three  rooms,  in  each  of  which  is  a  stone  image  rep 
resenting  the  creative 
principle.  The  worship 
ers  throw  rice  and  flowers 
at  these  images,  and  offi 
ciating  Brahmins  contin 
ually  pour  over  them 
water  /rom  the  Ganges. 
Within  a  separate  inclos- 
ure  is  a  sacred  well  called 
"Gyan-Bapi,"  or  the  well 
of  knowledge,  into  which 
the  rice  and  the  flowers 
from  the  images  are 
washed  by  a  continual 
stream  of  water.  Out  of 
this  well  rises  an  intoler 
able  stench  from  the  pu 
trefying  mass  which  poi 
sons  the  air  in  and  around 
the  temple,  for  it  is  not  permitted  to  take  these  offerings 
out  of  the  well.  Around  the  well  is  a  colonnade  of  small 
beautiful  pillars,  back  of  which,  on  the  east  side,  is  a  seven- 
foot-high  stone  statue  of  a  bull  consecrated  to  the  god  of 
Mahadeva. 

Another  temple  is  divided  into  stalls  which  contain  well- 
fed  sacred  animals,  such  as  bulls,  cows,  goats  and  birds,  all 
of  which  are  objects  of  worship  of  the  faithful.  This  temple 
was  kept  more  clean  than  the  former,  but  the  bellowing  of  the 
animals  and  the  jostling  and  crowding  of  the  worshipers 
made  the  visit  to  those  deities  intolerable. 

One  of  the  finest  temples  in  Benares  is  called  "Durga 
Kund,"  and  is  devoted  to  the  goddess  Durga.  It  is  a  large 


DYING    BRAHMIN. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


205 


and  beautiful  pyramidal  structure  with  a  number  of  towers 
and  steeples  of  different  sizes,  and  the  whole  building  is 
adorned  with  fine  works  of  sculpture,  representing  the  sacred 
animals  of  Hindoo  mythology.  Inside  the  temple,  facing  a 
wide  entrance,  stands  a  large  stone  statue  of  Durgawith  the 
face  of  an  ape,  and  in  front  of  this  is  a  well  into  which  the 
faithful  throw  flowers.  But  the  most  interesting  feature 
about  this  temple  is  the  great  number  of  monkeys  which  are 


MONKEY    TEMPLE    IN    BENARES. 

kept  there.  A  large,  square  court  surrounds  the  temple, 
and  in  this  as  well  as  on  the  steps,  floors,  pillars,  roof  and 
walls,  inside  and  outside  of  the  temple  itself  and  in  the 
neighboring  houses,  in  the  trees,  on  the  streets,  in  the  gar 
dens,  in  short,  wherever  they  can  find  a  footing,  there  are 
thousands  of  gray,  yellow,  black,  white  and  brown  monkeys, 
with  all  possible  monkey  physiognomies  and  monkey  nat 
ures,  sitting,  lying,  jumping,  hanging  and  climbing.  They 
are  considered  sacred  and  must  not  be  killed,  consequently 
they  are  increasing  so  fast  that  if  no  interdicts  are  fulmi- 


206  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

nated  against  them  they  will  soon  become  the  ruling  element 
in  Benares.  A.nd  so  assiduously  is  this  temple  visited  bv 
well-to-do  and  generous  worshipers  that  both  the  Brah 
mins  and  the  monkeys  live  in  affluence  and  luxury.  Incredi 
ble  as  it  may  seem,  I  have  myself  seen  one  crowd  of  people 
after  another  enter  this  temple  and  prostrate  themselves  in 
worshiping  the  living  monkeys  as  well  as  the  ape-faced  stone 
image,  and  then  return  home  rejoicing  because  the  Brahmins 
have  assured  them  that  their  worship  and  offerinsg  have 
opened  for  them  the  gates  of  heaven. 

In  some  temples  domestic  animals  are  sacrificed  by  the  ser 
vants  of  the  priests,  the  blood  and  the  meat  being  distributed 
among  the  priests,  the  intestines  and  other  offal  among  the 
poor.  In  others,  butter,  oils,  sweetmeats  and  rice  are 
offered  by  first  giving  the  idols  a  taste  in  the  same  manner 
as  our  children  feed  their  dolls,  whereupon  the  rest  is  con 
sumed  by  the  priests  and  the  people.  In  several  temples  are 
Fakirs  or  saints  sitting  in  unnatural  positions  with  lean 
limbs  and  vacant  looks,  and  these  are  also  objects  of  the 
worship  and  offerings  of  the  people.  In  other  temples  are 
even  lewd  women,  who,  by  their  dancing  and  singing,  act  as 
mediators  between  the  people  and  their  angry  gods. 

As  far  as  these  descriptions  go,  they  may  be  applied  to  all 
temples  and  ceremonies,  and  the  chief  and  absolute  univer 
sal  feature  is  the  question  of  money  and  other  offerings  to 
the  Brahmins.  All  the  temples  are  surrounded  with  beggars 
who  are  as  importunate  as  the  Brahmins  themselves,  and 
the  whole  of  it  makes  the  European  wish  to  get  away  from 
the  sacred  places  of  the  Orient  as  soon  as  possible. 

Man  Modir,  is  the  name  of  a  remarkable  astronomical  ob 
servatory  which  towers  above  the  temples  on  the  Ganges, 
close  to  the  place  where  the  dead  bodies  are  cremated.  It 
was  built  two  hundred  years  ago  by  the  emperor,  Jai  Sing, 
and  still  remains  in  well-preserved  condition  as  an  evidence 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  207 

of  the  deep  astronomical  knowledge  of  the  Hindoos  at  that 
period.  It  is  a  large  stone  building  with  a  flat  roof,  on 
which  are  constructed  astronomical  instruments  and  figures 
of  brick  and  mortar  of  gigantic  proportions.  As  examples. 
I  shall  mention  a  quadrant  which  is  eleven  feet  high  and 
nine  feet  wide  in  the  direction  of  the  meridian,  and  is  made 
for  calculating  the  altitude  of  the  sun,  and  another  instru 
ment,  thirty-six  feet  long  and  four  and  one-half  feet  high 
which  is  used  in  calculating  the  altitude  and  distance  of  a 
planet  or  a  star  from  the  meridian. 

Descending  from  the  observatory  my  attention  was  called 
to  a  large  crowd  of  people  on  a  knoll  near  the  river  bank. 
Going  over  there  I  found  what  might  be  called  a  religious 
circus  attended  by  thousands  of  people,  in  the  midst  of  which 
was  a  group  of  Fakirs.  Most  of  them  were  squatting  with 
crossed  legs,  one  arm  extended  toward  the  river,  and  th^ 
eyes  fixed  on  a  certain  spot  in  the  water  or  on  the  sky.  One 
was  squatting  on  a  plank  through  which  long  sharp  naif 
were  driven  with  their  points  projecting  upward  over  sn 
inch.  I  counted  eight  such  nails  about  an  inch  long 
each  foot.  The  nails  had  not  caused  bleeding  wounds, 
simply  made  deep  indentures  in  the  flesh  which  must 
been  very  painful,  at  least  in  the  beginning.  One  Fakir  had 
suspended  himself  on  an  eight-foot-tall  cross,  with  the  head 
downward,  by  tieing  one  of  his  feet  to  the  top  of  the  crosc 
by  a  cord.  Formerly  they  used  to  suspend  themselves  by  a 
big  iron  hook  penetrating  their  muscles,  thus  swinging  their 
bodies  back  and  forth  for  hours;  but  this  practice  is  now 
prohibited  by  the  English  government.  An  acrobatic  Fakir 
was  turning  sommersets  on  a  grass  mat,  and  was  considered 
very  holy  because  he  could  twist  his  limbs  as  if  they  had 
been  without  bones.  Another  carried  an  iron  cage  which 
was  forged  around  his  neck,  and  which  he  had  carried  thus 
for  years  in  order  to  mortify  his  flesh.  A  loathsome  dwarf, 


208 


STORY  OF  AN  EM: GRANT. 


kept  in  an  iron  cage,  was  blessing  the  admiring  crowd,  sev- 
eral  dancing  girls  gave  animation  to  the  scene  by  singing 


FAKIR    WITH    IRON    CAGE. 

and  dancing,  some  Brahmins  were  exhibiting  a  sacred  bull, 
others    sacred   monkeys,   and   liberal   offerings   were    made 
everywhere  by  the  enraptured  pilgrims.    Such  are  the  relig 
ious  ceremonies  in  the  sacred  city  of  India. 
During  my  stay  in   Benares  I   visited  one  of  the  most  re 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


209 


markable  ruins  in  the  world,  situated  six  miles  from  the  sa 
cred  city  It  is  the  remnants  of  two  large  and  tall  towers 
built  of  brick  and  cut  stone,  about  three  thousand  years 
ago.  These  towers  were  closely  connected  with  the  history 
of  Buddha,  one  of  them,  according  to  tradition,  being  his 
dwelling  and  the  other  his  place  of  worship.  This  was 
formerly  the  site  of  a  great  city,  called  Sarnath. 


TOWER    OF    SARNATH. 


14 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Nimtoolaghat— Cremation  in  India— Parsee  Funeral  Rite8. 


India  is  the  only  country  in  the  world  where  the  civilization 
of  the  East  and  that  of  the  West  are  found  side  by  side  with 
equal  rights  and  equal  chances  of  a  free  and  full  develop 
ment.  For,  although  the  English  have  conquered,  and 
at  present  rule  the  country,  they  have  respected  the  peculiar 
customs  and  manners  of  the  Hindoos,  and  guaranteed  them 
liberty  to  practice  the  same  and  to  develop  their  social  and 
religious  institutions  in  so  far  as  they  do  not  conflict  with 
the  generally  acknoweldged  principles  of  humanity. 

Accordingly  in  Calcutta  and  other  cities  in  India  we  fre 
quently  find  a  stately  Christian  church  side  by  side  with  a 
Hindoo  temple  with  its  officiating  priests.  On  one  side 
of  the  street  we  may  see  a  fine  European  residence  filled  with 
guests  around  the  dinner-table,  eating,  chatting,  and  toast 
ing  just  as  at  home,  and  on  the  other  a  Hindoo  villa,  where 
turbaned  Brahmins,  in  a  squatting  posture,  eat  their  rice  or 
smoke  their  hokah,  while  extolling  the  merits  of  their  jug 
gernaut.  At  popular  meetings  and  fetes  European  lords, 
bishops,  officials,  and  ladies  are  often  seen  engaged  in  a 
friendly  conversation  with  Hindoo  princes,  or  learned  pun 
dits,  Mohammedan  warriors,  Persian,  Armenian  or  Jewish 
merchants.  On  the  streets  and  promenades  the  European 
carriage  and  the  Hindoo  palanquin  are  seen  side  by  side;  in 

Calcutta  there  are  scores  of  high  schools  and  academies  on 

210 


STORY  OF  AN   EM.GRAXT. 


211 


the  European  plan,  and  close  to  these  again  others  where 
young  students  in  oriental  costumes  and  turbaned  heads, 
squat  before  a  half-naked  Brahmin,  seeking  wisdom  and 
knowledge  from  the  works  of  the  Vedas  or  Shastras. 

It  is  therefore  not  surprising  that  in  the  very  harbor 
where  American  and  European  flags  are  waving  from 
hundreds  of  mast-heads  lies  Nimtoolaghat,  a  Hindoo  place  of 
cremation,  from  which  the  whole  day  l<"»ng  dense  clouds 


KlMTOOLAGH AT  —  PLACE    OF    CREMATION. 

of  smoke  arise,  scattering  the  vapors  of  burning  human 
bodies.  It  is  a  large  brick  building  which  is  divided  into  two 
apartments  by  a  brick  wall.  The  apartment  which  is  next 
to  the  street  is  covered  by  a  roof,  but  the  one  next  to  the 
harbor  is  open  at  the  top.  The  floor  is  made  of  clay, 
excepting  the  spots  under  the  funeral  pyres,  where  it  consists 
of  large  flagstones.  I  have  often  stood  at  this  place,  and  it 
always  seemed  to  me  that  our  cemeteries  with  their  monu- 


212  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

ments,  grass  plots,  trees,  and  flowers  are  dear  places  which, 
to  some  extent,  reconcile  man  to  stern  death,  while  here 
e  ^ery thing  seemed  dead  and  hopeless.  I  will  describe  for  the 
reader  what  I  saw  at  one  of  my  visits  to  this  place  of  deso 
lation.  On  the  flagstones  in  the  roofless  apartment  were  six 
separate  pyres,  two  of  which  were  already  reduced  to  ashes 
when  I  entered,  two  others  were  about  half  consumed  by  the 
fire,  only  a  few  bones  being  visible  among  the  fire-brands; 
but  on  each  of  the  other  two  was  a  naked  corpse,  the  out 
side  of  which  was  scorched  by  the  flames,  while  blood  and 
water  were  slowly  oozing  out  of  mouth  and  nostrils,  while 
the  burning  flesh  hissed  and  sputtered  where  the  heat  was 
most  intense,  so  that  the  whole  presented  a  shocking  sight. 
A  score  of  half-naked  Brahmins  were  busy  around  the 
pyres  muttering  prayers  and  making  signs  over  the  dead, 
while  the  nearest  relatives  walked  around  the  corpses  utter 
ing  cries  of  lamentation.  Particularly  violent  was  the  grief 
of  a  young  woman  whose  mother  had  just  been  laid  upon 
the  pyre,  deep  sorrow  and  heart-rending  lamentations 
testifying  to  the  love  she  had  borne  the  deceased. 

Now  the  fine-split  wood  is  piled  up  into  a  new  pyre  about 
six  feet  long,  two  feet  wide,  and  two  and  one-half  feet  high, 
and  four  men  bring  the  corpse  of  a  man  on  a  bier.  It  is  cov 
ered  with  a  white  sheet,  which  is  taken  away,  so  as  to  leave 
only  a  small  piece  of  cloth  covering  the  corpse.  This  is  the 
body  of  a  Fakir,  a  stately  man  with  fine  features,  and  past 
the  prime  of  life.  As  soon  as  the  body  is  placed  on  the  pyre, 
two  Brahmins  pile  fine-split  wood  around  and  over  it  so 
that  only  the  face  is  visible.  Then  comes  the  eldest  son  of 
the  deceased  and  rubbing  the  face  with  fresh  butter  lays 
several  lumps  of  it  on  the  pyre.  He  then  walks  three  times 
around  the  corpse  and  lights  with  a  fire-brand  a  whisk  of 
straw  in  his  father's  pyre.  The  fire  spreads  rapidly  through 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  213 

the  dry  wood.  The  melting  butter  flows  through  it,  the 
flames  roar  and  crackle,  and  the  dead  body  makes  writhing 
muscular  motions  under  the  influence  of  the  fire,  the  skin 
bursting  open  in  several  places,  and  a  thin  fluid  trickling  out 
which  adds  fuel  to  the  flames.  The  face  shrinks  and  vanishes 
tinder  our  eyes,  an  rnpleasant  smell  of  burnt  flesh  per 
meates  the  air,  ai  d  in  a  little  while  all  is  over,  and  the  Brah 
mins  gather  the  ashes  and  scatter  them  on  the  waters  of  the 
sacred  Ganges. 

Who  can  wonder  that  a  stranger,  witnessing  such  a  cere 
mony,  experiences  in  his  own  breast  questions  and  surmises 
such  as  these:  Is  this,  then,  all?  Where  is  the  Fakir  who 
mortified  his  body  by  all  kinds  of  torture,  who  struggled 
and  suffered  in  order  to  become  acceptable  to  the  gods? 
Was  there  nothing  more  than  that  shell,  consumed  before  our 
e}res?  Is  the  man  who  spent  half  of  his  life-time  gazing  in 
to  the  boundless  realm  of  space  and  yearning  and  longing 
for  the  unknown,  the  infinite,  no  longer  in  existence?  Was 
his  longing  only  a  mockery,  or  was  it  a  foreshadowing  of 
that  which  is  to  come  ?  What  would  life  be  if  all  terminated 
in  the  pvre  or  in  the  grave?  To  what  purpose,  then,  all  no 
ble  endeavors,  whose  aim  and  object  only  relate  to  the  un 
certain  future?  The  deepest  premonitions  of  the  human 
soul,  and  the  most  beautiful  hopes  of  the  heart,  how  far  are 
these  from  the  thought  that  all  our  feelings,  our  loftiest  am 
bitions, — in  one  word  the  best  part  of  our  being, —  can  be 
annihilated  in  a  crematory!  The  Fakir  whose  body  was 
now  reduced  to  ashes  had  lived  in  the  faith  of  his  immor 
tality,  had  worshiped  the  deities  of  his  people,  because  he 
knew^  no  better,  but  was  he  on  that  account  less  welcome  in 
the  everlasting  mansions? 

Formerly  the  wife  was  burned  alive  on  the  pyre  of  her 
husband,  but  this  practice  has  been  abolished  by  the  English 


214  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

government,  although  it  is  still  said  to  be  adhered  to  secretly 
in  the  interior  of  the  country.  That  woman  is  considered 
very  fortunate  who  can  enjoy  the  privilege  of  "sati,"  that 
is,  be  burned  alive  on  the  funeral  pyre  of  her  husband,  for 
thereby  she  secures  unquestionable  happiness  in  the  next 
world.  So  strongly  can  religious  enthusiasm,  even  in  our 
'days,  influence  a  sensible  and  civilized  people.  We  generally 
suppose  cremation  in  India  to  be  an  imposing  ceremony, 
such  as  a  great  pyre,  intense  heat,  which  keeps  a  devout 
congregation  at  a  proper  distance,  etc.  Such  is  not  the  case, 
however;  for,  leaving  out  the  mourning  relatives,  it  may 
better  be  compared  with  the  hilarious  soldiers  around  the 
camp-fire  roasting  the  booty  of  a  nightly  raid, —  a  shote  or 
a  quarter  of  beef. 

An  entirely  different  mode  of  burial  is  used  among  the 
Parsees,  who  are  descendants  of  the  ancient  Persians,  and 
live  in  the  western  part  of  India  where  they  were  driven  from 
Iran  bv  the  Mohammedans.  They  profess  the  religion  of 
Zoroaster,  and  are  fire-worshipers.  They  regard  the  earth, 
air,  water  and  fire  as  sacred  objects,  but  a  corpse,  on  the  con 
trary,  as  something  urclean,  and  therefore  they  would  i. 
pollute  the  fire  by  burning  the  dead,  nor  soil  the  earth  or  th 
sea  by  burying  them.  In  place  of  this  they  expose  the  deaa 
bodies  in  the  open  air  to  be  devoured  by  birds  of  prey.  For 
this  purpose  are  erected  towers  of  stone,  on  the  top  of 
which  are  iron  grates  to  put  the  bodies  on.  In  one  of  the 
surburbs  of  Bombay  are  three  such  towers  on  Malabar  hill. 
'They  are  called  "The  Towers  of  Silence."  Each  of  them 
has  only  one  entrance,  and  they  are  about  twenty  feet  high. 
.Large  flocks  of  ravens  and  vultures  surround  them  sitting 
•  on  branches  of  the  palm  trees  in  the  vicinity.  As  soon  as  a 
corpse  is  exposed  there  is  a  fierce  rush  for  it,  and  within  an 
hour  the  birds  have  consumed  everything  except,  of  course, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  215 

the  bones,  which  drop  down  into  a  vault  under  the  tower, 
or  are  thrown  there  by  means  of  tongs  held  by  gloved  serv 
ants,  who  afterward  clean  themselves  by  bathing  and 
change  of  clothing. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Heathenism  and  Christianity  — The  Religion  of  the  Hindoos  — Caste— The 
Brahmins  — Their  Tyranny  — Superstition  — The  Influence  of  Chris 
tianity — Keshub-Chunder-Sen,  the  Indian  Reformer — His  faith  and  In 
fluence. 


Having  given  a  sketch  of  the  divine  worship,  religious 
rites  and  sacrificial  feasts  of  the  Hindoos,  I  shall  now  call 
the  attention  of  the  reader  to  a  brief  description  of  their 
religion  and  spiritual  culture  in  general. 

"In  the  hoary  past  India  had  mighty  religious  leaders  and 
authors  who  laid  claim  to  divine  authority.  Religious  sys 
tems  were  announced,  and  voluminous,  erudite  verses  were 
published  for  the  guidance  of  the  people,  or  rather  the  Brah 
mins  or  priests,  which  writings  are  still  the  Bibles  of  the 
Hindoos.  The  most  important  of  these  books  are  called 
'Vedas,'  'Shastras/  and  'Puranas.'  The  lively  imagi 
nation  of  the  authors  and  the  religious  enthusiasm  of  the 
people  were  not  content  with  a  few  deities,  therefore  their 
number  has  been  increased  from  time  to  time,  until  they  now 
amount  to  thirty -three  million  gods  and  goddesses.  The 
most  important  of  the  former  are  Brahma,  Visnu  and  Shiva, 
and  of  the  latter  Durga,  Lakshmi  and  Saras wati.  The 
former  are  worshiped  as  the  creating,  preserving  and  de 
stroying  powers,  and  from  these  three  all  the  others  have 
originated;  at  first  considered  as  representatives  of  certain 
attributes  and  principals  of  the  three  chief  deities,  but  later 

216 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  217 

as  independent,  individual  deities.  Many  of  these  gods  are 
represented  by  images  and  pictures,  which  originally  the 
whole  people,  but  at  present  only  the  learned,  regard  merely 
as  representations  of  certain  divine  principals  and  attributes. 
Later  on  these  were  put  in  the  place  of  the  things  which 
they  represented,  so  that  the  stone  image,  the  river,  the 
tree,  or  the  animal  is  regarded  as  the  god  himself  by  the  ig 
norant  multitude. 

"According  to  the  Hindoo  doctrine  of  creation  the  earth 
rests  on  the  back  of  a  tortoise,  and  the  human  race  was  origi 
nally  created  members  of  four  different  classes  or  castes. 
Thus  the  class  or  caste  distinction  of  India  is  closely  incor 
porated  with  its  religion,  and  shows  that  the  priests  have 
been  very  shrewd  in  founding  a  religious  system  which  se 
cured  for  themselves  not  only  salvation  after  death,  but, 
above  all,  an  abundance  of  the  good  things  of  this  world. 
Brahma  was  from  the  beginning,  and  from  him  emanated 
Vishnu  and  Shiva.  Thereafter  Brahma  created  first  water, 
then  the  earth,  then  from  out  of  his  head  a  man  who  was 
the  Brahmin,  and  became  the  chief  of  the  caste  of  priests,  or 
the  highest  class.  After  this  he  let  a  Kshatriya  issue  from 
out  of  his  arms,  a  Vaisya  from  his  loins,  and  a  Sudra  from 
his  feet,  and  which  became  respectively  the  progenitors  of 
the  three  other  castes,  the  warriors,  the  craftsmen  and 
merchants,  and  the  common  laborers.  These  castes  have 
gradually  been  divided  into  many  subdivisions,  but  the  four 
principal  ones  still  remain  with  all  their  rigid  distinctions. 
Through  certain  misdemeanors,  which  may  be  very  insig 
nificant,  a  person  belonging  to  a  higher  may  be  degraged  to 
a  lower  caste,  but  one  of  a  lower  caste  can  never  rise  to 
a  higher,  not  even  by  the  most  meritorious  achievements. 

"Of  all  the  cruel  chains  by  which  tyrants  have  fettered  men, 
none  has  been  a  more  formidable  enemy  of  liberty  or  a 
greater  impediment  to  human  progress  than  this  dreadful 


218  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

system  of  caste.  It  has  stifled  all  noble  efforts,  all  brotherly 
love  and  humane  feelings;  it  has  plunged  the  people  into 
superstition,  indifference  and  ignorance;  it  has  doomed 
ninety  -  nine  hundredths  of  the  myriads  of  India  to  the  most 
cruel  slavery,  in  body  and  in  soul;  it  has  placed  locks  and 
fetters  on  the  human  mind  and  branded  the  infant  in  its 
mother's  womb  to  infamy  and  execration;  and,  the  worst  of 
all,  it  has  stifled  all  incentive  to  progress  and  development. 
It  has  smothered  many  noble  feelings,  and  taught  men  to 
hate  and  despise  each  other;  and  so  strong  is  the  class  dis 
tinction  of  this  system  that  a  good  Hindoo  of  our  day 
would  a  thousand  times  rather  die  of  thirst  or  hunger  than 
take  a  glass  of  water  or  a  piece  of  bread  from  a  person  of  a 
lower  caste.  Like  other  evils  it  has  also  been  a  curse  to  its 
authors,  the  Brahmins  themselves,  by  lulling  the  great  majori 
ty  of  them  into  ignorance  and  indifference.  For  why  should 
they  take  the  trouble  to  study  or  work  when  the  whole 
world  with  its  joys,  pleasures  and  honors  is  open  to  them 
anyway?  Space  does  not  allow  discussing  this  matter  more 
fully,  hence  I  will  simply  cite  some  of  the  doctrines  which 
the  Brahmins  claim  to  have  found  in  the  divine  books,  and 
which  the  people  still  regard  as  sacred : 

"  Whoever  disturbs  a  Brahmin  during  his  religious  contem 
plations  shall  lose  his  life;  if  a  person  of  a  lower  caste 
sits  down  on  the  mat  of  a  Brahmin,  his  back  shall  be  burned 
with  red-hot  irons;  if  he  touches  the  hair,  beard  or  neck  of 
a  Brahmin,  the  judge  shall  order  both  his  hands  to  be  cut 
off;  if  he  listens  to  evil  reports  about  the  Brahmins,  molten 
lead  shall  be  poured  into  his  ears;  if  he  does  not  arise  when 
a  Brahmin  approaches,  he  will  be  changed  into  a  tree  after 
death ;  if  he  casts  an  angry  look  at  a  Brahmin  the  god  Yama 
shall  pluck  out  his  eyes.  The  Shastras  teach  that  a  gift  to  a 
Brahmin  is  of  incalculable  value  to  the  giver.  Whoever  gives 
a  Brahmin  a  cow  shall  gain  a  million  years  of  bliss  in 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  219 

heaven,  and  whoever  wishes  success  in  anything  must  fete 
the  Brahmins  and  wash  their  feet.  Whoeverbequeathesland 
or  other  valuable  property  to  the  Brahmins  on  his  death-bed 
immediately  receives  forgiveness  of  sins  and  the  greatest 
bliss  in  heaven.  To  drink  the  water  in  which  a  Brahmin 
has  washed  his  feet  and  to  lick  the  dust  from  under  a  Brah 
min's  feet  are  works  of  great  merit  for  the  life  which  is  to 
come.  No  one  but  a  Brahmin  is  allowed  to  give  religious 
instruction,  and  all  offerings  to  the  gods  must  be  brought  to 
the  Brahmin,  because  no  ceremony  will  avail  anything  un 
less  it  is  accompanied  by  an  offering  to  them.  Therefore  a 
multitude  of  ceremonies  have  been  introduced  by  the  Brah 
mins  in  order  that  their  coffers  may  be  well  filled.  I  will 
name  a  few  of  those  ceremonies  which  relate  to  everybody's 
life  and  death,  and  which  cannot,  therefore,  be  neglected. 

As  soon  as  a  mother  knows  she  has  conceived,  a  Brahmin 
must  be  sent  for  to  read  certain  formulas ;  when  the  child  is 
born  a  Brahmin  must  be  called  for  the  same  purpose,  also 
when  it  is  a  week,  six  months,  two  years  and  eight  years 
old,  and  again  when  the  young  people  are  to  be  married  ;  in 
all  cases  of  sickness,  at  the  death-bed,  at  the  cremation  of 
the  body,  and  every  month  the  first  year  after  a  person's 
death;  and  at  each  one  of  these  visits  the  Brahmin  is  entitled 
to  money  or  other  gifts.  Also  if  a  family  is  subject  to  any 
misfortune  the  Brahmin  must  be  called  to  conjure  the  evil 
powers ;  if  a  bird  of  prey  alights  on  the  roof,  the  owner  of 
the  house  must  call  a  Brahmin  to  purify  the  house  by  his 
blessing;  when  he  moves  into  a  new  house  the  Brahmin  must 
bless  it  beforehand ;  when  a  man  dies  on  an  unlucky  day  his 
son  must  pay  the  Brahmin  money  to  ward  off  a  similar  ca- 
1  unity  from  him  ;  when  a  well  is  dug  a  Brahmin  must  bless 
it  before  its  water  can  be  used ;  during  eclipses  of  the  sun 
and  the  moon  everybody  sends  gifts  to  the  Brahmins ;  at 
pverv  chancre  of  the  moon  the  Brahmin  is  entitled  to  gifts  as 


220  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

well  as  on  forty  regular  holidays  every  year;  during  small 
pox  or  cholera  ravages  he  is  called  to  ward  off  the  plague; 
the  farmer  cannot  reap  his  grain,  the  fisherman  cannot  go  to 
sea,  the  merchant  cannot  make  a  bargain  unkss  he  has 

^bought  the  blessing  of  the  Brahmin  and  paid  for  the  same. 
"And  still  the  Hindoos  possess  a  high  culture,  and  their  civi- 

,  lization  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  world.  They  are  endowed 
with  a  strong  religious  feeling.  They  are  profound,  peace 
ful,  diligent,  economical  and  law  abiding;  many  of  them 
have  become  distinguished  in  learning,  art  and  science;  they 
have  been  the  teachers  of  the  philosophers  and  scholars  of 
other  nations,  and  for  thousands  of  years  they  have  pon 
dered  deeply  on  questions  pertaining  to  the  human  soul,  im 
mortality  and  the  life  to  come,  and  endeavored  to  satisfy 
their  craving  and  yearning  for  a  closer  union  with  the  infi 
nite  by  a  devotion  and  self  sacrifices  which  can  well  be  com 
pared  with  the  sufferings  of  the  Christian  martyrs.  Accord 
ingly  if  any  people  could  attain  a  higher  development  and  a 
happy  condition  by  other  means  than  the  influence  of  the 
Christian  religion,  that  people  ought  to  be  the  Hindoos. 
Yet,  after  all  their  struggles,  we  now  find  them  on  a  lower 
level  than  they  were  thousands  of  years  ago.  What  a  pic 
ture!  All  these  millions  of  civilized,  peaceful,  diligent,  sensi 
ble  people  bend  their  knees  before  thirty-three  millions  of  dis 
gusting  images  and  pictures,  and  among  all  this  people,  in 
all  their  thirty  thousand  cities  there  was  not  a  hospital  for 
the  sick,  not  an  asylum  for  the  blind  or  deaf,  not  a  home  for 
lepers  or  insane,  not  one  voice  saying  to  the  lowly  and  the 
poor:  "Thou  art  my  brother." 

Then  came  Buddha,  the  great  reformer,  preaching  the  re 
ligion  of  self  denial  and  human  love.  The  old  petrified  social 
fabric  and  religion  were  shaken  to  their  foundation,  and  the 
system  of  caste  was  on  the  verge  of  dissolution.  Under  the 
first  wave  of  enthusiasm  caused  by  the  teachings  of  Buddha, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  1*21 

hospitals  for  the  sick  and  asylums  for  the  poor  were  es 
tablished.  Every  fifth  year  the  Buddhistic  kings  gave  away 
their  riches,  not  only  to  the  monks  but  also  to  the  poor, 
to  the  orphans  and  outcasts,  and  even  asylums  for  sick  an 
imals  were  established.  But  Brahminism  soon  avenged  it 
self  by  bloody  wars,  Buddhism  was  to  a  large  extent 
driven  out  of  India,  and  gradually  its  noble  principles  were 
forgotten.  Nearly  the  same  condition  as  that  which  pre 
vailed  before  the  Buddhistic  reformation  again  prevailed, 
until  the  Christian  civilization  quite  recently  began  to  make 
itself  felt  through  the  practical  measures  introduced  by  the 
English  government.  Woman  without  liberty,  without  hu 
man  worth,  and  almost  without  virtue;  the  countless  many 
oppressed  and  despised  by  the  privileged  few,  and  not  even 
allowed  to  read  a  religious  book  at  the  risk  of  eternal  dam 
nation  ;  one  of  the  greatest  and  mightiest  nations  on  earth, 
discordant  within  itself,  divided  into  different  hostile  classes; 
the  one  suspicious,  envious,  and  full  of  hate  toward  the 
other,  all  of  them  humiliated,  conquered,  and  ruled  by  a 
few  strangers, — the  English, — whose  forefathers  were  sav 
ages  a  thousand  years  after  the  period  when  the  Hindoos 
possessed  the  highest  civilization  of  antiquity. 

The  cause  of  this  deplorable  condition  is  clear  enough  to 
those  who  have  grown  up  under  the  influence  of  Christian 
civilization.  With  all  its  studies,  all  its  wisdom,  all  its  gen 
ius,  and  all  its  religious  contemplation,  this  people  have  neg_ 
lected  or  spurned  the  simple  truths  on  which  the  Christian 
civilization  is  founded, — love  and  charity  :  "Thou  shalt  lore 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself." — "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it 
unto  me," — these  beautiful  principles  are  not  found  in  the 
Hindoo  Bibles,  and,  consequently,  not  in  their  acts  and 
lives. 

But  a  happier  day  has  dawned  on  India.    The  star  of 


222 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


Bethlehem  is  seen  at  the  horizon.  A  new  light  is  kindled 
which  shall  soon  lead  the  people  out  of  the  ancient  dark 
ness  to  a  true  and  happy  condition.  And,  strange  enough, 
the  youngest  of  the  nations, — America, — is  foremost  in  mis 
sionary  work  among  the  oldest,  and  next  to  the  Americans 
are  the  Scotch,  the  English,  the  French,  the  Germans,  the 
Belgians ;  and  even  good  old  Sweden  has  one  or  two  mis 
sion  fields  there  where  the  results  are  as  yet  rather  meager; 
but  in  the  course  of  time  this  work,  too,  will  undoubtedly 
bear  golden  fruits,  for  just  as  surely  as  people  and  races  are 
to  continue,  just  ns  surelv  shall  the  simple  doctrine  which  the 

^reat  Master  taught  be 
spread  and  accepted 
among  them  all,  because 
t  is  the  only  one  by 
which  the  nations  can 
reach  their  true  destiny. 
A  remarkable  attempt 
at  reformation  in  the 
spirit  of  Christianity  has 
been  made  in  our  day  by 
a  native  Hindoo,  the  late 
Keshub-Chunder-Sen,  the 
founder  of  the  society, 
Brahmo  Somaj  in  Cal 
cutta,  whose  object  was 
to  introduce  the  Christian 
civilization  in  all  its  bet 
ter  forms.  One  day  I 
went  to  hear  a  lecture  by 
this  renowned  Hindoo 
KESHUB-CHUNDER-SEN.  prophet  and  teacher, 

which  afforded  me  one  of  the  most  pleasant  and  instructive 
hcursin  my  life.    The  great  hall  contained  an  audience  o* 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  223 

nearly  three  thousand  people,  consisting  chiefly  of  persons 
of  influence  and  high  rank,  among  the  cultured  Hindoos  of 
the  capital.  The  speaker  was  listened  to  with  the  greatest  at 
tention  and  respect,  and  the  impression  he  made  could  not 
but  be  beneficial  and  lasting.  I  sat  very  close  to  the  speaker, 
and  took  pains  to  notice  his  ways  and  manners  while  speak 
ing  to  the  large  audience.  His  bearing  in  the  pulpit  made  a 
remarkable  impression,  especially  when,  under  the  influence 
of  some  absorbing  and  transporting  thought,  his  body  was 
stretched  out  to  its  full  height,  and  seemed  to  grow  by  the 
glow  of  inspiration.  He  was  at  that  time  a  man  of  about 
forty-five  years  of  age,  of  robust  health,  of  symmetrical  pro 
portions,  and  with  a  face  which  beamed  with  intelligence 
and  enthusiasm.  The  fame  of  this  man  is  not  limited  to  his 
native  land,  for  even  in  Great  Britain,  where  he  spent  several 
months  a  few  years  ago,  he  is  very  highly  respected  by  think 
ing  men  and  women  of  all  classes  who  are  devoted  to  the 
progress  and  improvement  of  mankind,  and  in  his  own 
country  he  is  almost  idolized.  His  faith,  as  far  as  formu 
lated  in  definite  language,  coincides  with  that  of  the  Unitari 
ans  of  America,  although  he  called  it  tmitrinitarian,  i.e., he 
believed  in  one  God,  the  Creator  of  the  world  and  the  father 
of  all  men ;  and  also  in  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit  as  revela 
tions  of  the  divine,  which  is  one  but  not  as  three  different 
persons  in  the  deity.  He  believed  that  the  propagation  of 
true  religion  in  the  world  has  been  greatly  impeded  by 
what  he  called  the  idolatry  which  in  Christian  countries 
has  grown  up  around  the  human  person  of  Jesus  Christ, 
manifested  as  in  the  flesh,  and  he  begged  the  missionaries 
who  came  to  India  not  to  confuse  the  minds  of  the  Hin 
doos  by  any  such  idea  as  a  deity  consisting  of  three  different 
persons ;  polytheism  had  been  the  curse  of  India  from  time 
immemorial. 
Such  are  the  main  features  of  the  teaching  of  this  reformer 


224 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


which  seem  to  promise  a  better  time  for  the  oppressed  peo 
ple  of  India.  Later  I  became  more  intimately  acquainted 
with  him,  and  he  had  intended  to  visit  America  in  my  com 
pany,  but  was  taken  sick  shortly  before  I  left  India,  and  died 
a  couple  of  months  thereafter. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

Steamboating  On  the  Ganges— Life  on  the  River— The  Greatest  Business 
Firm  in  the  World — Sceneries— Temples — Serampoor— Boat  Races— An 
Excursion  to  the  Himalayas— Darjieling  and  Himalaya  Railroad — 
Tea  Plantations — Darjieling — Llamas — View  from  the  Mountains. 


Having  received  all  its  tributaries  on  its  course  from  the 
Himalaya  Mountains  through  Central  Hindustan,  the  Gan 
ges  has  now  swelled  to  such  vast  proportions  that  it  can 
not  keep  its  volume  of  water  within  one  regular  channel 
through  the  level,  soft  soil  of  the  Hindoo  Peninsula,  but 
flows  into  the  ocean  by  several  independent  channels.  One 
of  these  which  is  called  the  Hoogley,  and  has  been  men 
tioned  already,  is  at  Calcutta,  about  eighty  miles  from  the 
sea,  as  broad  as  the  united  Missouri  and  Mississippi  at  St. 
Louis,  and  still  the  eastern  half  of  it,  close  to  the  city,  is  so 
crowded  with  ships,  barges  and  boats  for  a  distance  of  six 
miles  that  it  requires  great  care  and  skill  at  the  helm  to 
navigate  safely. 

On  Jan.  2,  1882,  the  Calcutta  rowing  club  had  arranged 
a  race  between  Barrackpoor  and  Serampoor,  to  which  four 
hundred  guests,  including  myself  had  been  invited.  Two 
large  and  ten  smaller  river  steamers,  all  adorned  with  flow 
ers  and  waving  flags,  lay  around  the  pier  between  the  Hoog 
ley  and  the  Nimtoolaghat  waiting  for  us.  Other  steamers 
packed  with  natives,  and  Indian  river  boats  with  their 
half-naked  rowers,  crowded  around  the  little  flotilla,  partly 

15  225 


2J6 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


from  curiosity,  partly  in  order  to  sell  flowers,  garlands  and 
fruits  to  the  guests.  On  the  river  bank  were  thousands  of 
Hindoos  and  Mohammedans  sitting  or  standing,  in  white 
clothes.  Here  and  there  was  a  penitent  Fakir,  bareheaded, 
his  half-naked  body  partly  covered  with  ashes,  his  eyes  riv 
eted  on  a  point  at  the  horizon  or  on  the  water,  without  be 
ing  in  the  least  disturbed  by  the  noise  and  the  festivity. 
From  Nimtoolagliat  a  dozen  small  clouds  of  smoke  were 
seen  ascending  uniting  into  one  column  of  smoke,  above  the 
roofless  building.  A  number  of  unkempt,  half-naked  Brah 
mins  were  carrying  ashes  and  bones  of  cremated  bodies 
irom  the  crematory  down  to  the  river.  Stately 
carriages  with  murky  coachmen  and  fore-runners  in  white 
garments  arrived  in  long  lines  at  the  pier  with  the  guests  of 
the  day.  When  all  were  onboard,  the  steamers  whistled,  the 
band  struck  up  "God  save  the  Queen,"  and  the  little  flotilla 
steamed  up  the  river  amid  merry  chatting  and  deafening 
hurrahs. 


STEAMER    ON    THE    GANGES. 

We  first  passed  hundreds  of  Indian  river  boats  from  twen 
ty-five  to  seventy-five  feet  long,  with  roofs  supported  by 
bamboo  poles  and  loaded  with  grain,  cotton,  fruit,  jute, 
goats,  etc.  The  crews  consisted  of  men,  women  and  chil 
dren  who  live  on  these  river  boats  for  years.  They  take  ad- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


221 


vantage  of  the  tides  in  going  up  or  down  the  river,  and  also 
use  a  broad  oar  in  the  prow  of  the  boat. 


RIVER    BOAT. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  river  lies  the  manufacturing  city 
Howrah,  with  the  largest  railroad  depot  in  India,  and 
dock-yards  extending  about  two  miles.  On  the  east  bank, 
a  short  distance  above  Calcutta  are  immense  warehouses  and 
hydraulic  presses  for  preparing  jute,  a  kind  of  hemp.  The 
largest  of  these  employs  three  thousand  workmen  day  and 
night,  and  belongs  to  a  Greek  firm,  Rally  Brothers,  wrho  are 
said  to  have  the  greatest  mercantile  establishment  existing. 
They  own  branch  houses  in  thirty-six  of  the  largest  com 
mercial  cities  of  the  world. 

Amid  the  happy  strains  of  music  we  passed  up  the  river. 
Stately  palm  trees  in  small  groups  rose  above  the  surround 
ing  groves,  villages,  temples  and  houses,  while  the  dense 
foliage  of  other  kinds  of  trees  hung  down  the  river  banks 
wherever  they  were  allowed  to  grow.  Many  of  these  bore 
flowers  resembling  tulips,  acacias,  jasmines,  etc.  Birds  of 
the  most  gorgeous  colors,  but  poor  songsters,  were  flitting 


228 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


and  hopping  about  among  the  branches;  vast  numbers  of 
small,  white  cows  and  oxen  were  being  herded  by  children 
on  the  meadows  between  the  rice  fielJs  along  the  river,  and 
at  intervals  of  about  two  miles  were  temples  consecrated  to 


TEMPLE    ON    THE    RIVER    BANK. 

Hindoo  gods.  These  temples  were  of  a  beautiful  style  and  of 
perfect  symmetry.  Toward  the  river  was  an  open  portico. 
From  this  a  flight  of  steps  led  down  to  the  water.  This  was 
a  Hindoo  bathing  place,  where  the  holy  water  was  taken. 
Just  then  a  number  of  women  were  seen  on  the  steps  fetching 
water  in  clay  jars,  somewhat  similar  to  the  one  Rebecca 
used  at  the  well.  These  jars  are  carried  either  on  the  head 
or  on  the  left  hip.  On  either  side  of  the  portico,  but  from 
fifty  to  a  hundred  feet  to  the  rear,  stood  the  temples  proper, 
in  rows,  facing  the  river,  generally  six  on  either  side,  with  an 
eight  to  twelve-foot-wide  path  between  each  temple.  The 
temples  are  about  sixteen  feet  square,  with  a  pointed 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


229 


roof  surmounted  by  a  round  cupola.  They  are  made  of 
brick,  with  a  coating  of  white  plaster  on  the  outside ;  there 
are  no  windows,  and  only  one  door,  opening  on  the  river  side. 


WATER  CARRIER. 


Inside  this  door  is  a  niche  in  which  the  idol  is  placed.  Only 
the  Brahmins  are  allowed  to  enter  these  temples;  where 
fore  the  common  heathen  has  to  content  himself  with 
simply  looking  at  the  god  from  the  outside ;  the  Christians 
also  are  generally  kept  at  a  respectful  distance. 

Here  and  there  along  the  banks  of  the  river  nestle  rustic 
villages,  the  houses  of  which  are  generally  square,  and  from 
sixteen  to  twenty  feet  on  the  sides,  with  pointed  thatched 
roofs.  The  walls  are  of  bamboo  poles,  interwoven  with 
grass  mats  or  plastered  with  mortar.  There  are  no  wooden 


230 


STORY  OF  AI\  IMMIGRANT. 


floors,  no  furniture,  and  the  only  utensils  are  a  few  bowls  of 
clay  for  cooking,  baking  vessels  of  brass,  sonic  straw  mats 
spread  on  the  clay  floor  to  sleep  on  during  the  night.  The 
country  is  low  and  flat,  and  during  the  wet  season,  which 
lasts  from  July  to  October,  destructive  inundations  are  quite 
frequent. 

Our  steamers  soon  approached  Barrackpoor,  a  garrisoned 
city  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river.  This  place,  which  is  one 
of  the  summer  residences  of  the  viceroy,  has  a  very  beautiful 


NATIVE   HOUSES. 

park,  where  there  are  several  samples  of  the  remarkable 
banyan  or  sacred  fig-tree.  From  the  branches  of  the  tree 
certain  shoots  grow  downward,  and  when  they  reach  the 
ground  they  strike  root  and  grow  into  new  trunks,  so  that 
one  and  the  same  tree  finally  covers  a  vast  space  of  ground, 
and  looks  like  a  pillared  hall.  In  the  park  at  Barrackpoor 
may  be  seen  one  of  these  trees,  large  enough  to  cover  one 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  231 

thousand  men.  On  the  west  side  of  the  river,  directly  op 
posite,  lies  the  old  city  of  Serampoor,  which  formerly  be 
longed  to  Denmark,  but  was  taken  by  the  English  in  the 
beginning  cf  this  century,  and  now  has  only  a  few  inscrip 
tions  and  documents  which  remind  us  of  the  Danish  period. 
In  the  river,  midway  between  these  cities,  a  gigantic 
government  barge  was  anchored.  On  this  occasion  it  was 
covered  with  canvas,  and  served  as  a  dining  room  where  a 
tiffin,  or  lunch,  for  four  hundred  persons  was  served.  Our 
steamers  anchored,  and  we  sat  down  at  the  sumptu- 


BANYAN    TREE. 


ous  tables.  A  band  of  forty  pieces  from  a  Sepoy  regiment 
garrisoned  at  Barrackpoor  struck  up  an  English  march,  the 
champagne  bottles  popped,  and  all  was  life  and  joy.  After 
lunch  we  witnessed  six  different  boat  races,  all  be 
tween  Englishmen,  and,  the  prizes  having  been  awarded, 
the  whole  company  walked  on  foot  about  a  mile  through  a 


232  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

fine  park  to  the  railway  station,  whence  a  special  train  car 
ried  the  excursionists  back  to  Calcutta. 

N  After  a  summer  of  eight  months  in  the  Bengal  lowlands 
with  a  constant  temperature  of  90°  to  100°  Fahrenheit  in 

\  the  shade,  fresh  breezes  and  cool  air  become  luxuries  more 
keenly  enjoyed  than  those  who  live  in  a  more  temperate  cli- 

^  mate  can  conceive.  To  benefit  by  both  I  made  a  short  jour 
ney  in  October,  1882,  to  the  celebrated  Himalaya  mount 
ains,  among  which  the  city  of  Darjieling  is  situated.  The 
train  on  the  Bengal  railroad  carried  us  about  three  hundred 
miles  in  a  northerly  direction  through  a  level  lowland  teem 
ing  with  gardens,  palm  groves  and  rice  fields,  to  Siligori ,  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountains,  where  we  arrived  in  the  morning 
at  sunrise.  Having  enjoyed  a  good  breakfast  and  a  bottle 
of  Norwegian  export  beer  at  the  railway  eating  house,  we 
were  transferred  to  a  train  on  the  Darjieling  &  Himalaya 
railroad  to  be  carried  up  seven  thousand  feet  high  in  a  dis 
tance  of  forty-two  miles. 

This  mountain  railroad  is  so  different  from  all  other  rail 
roads  that  it  deserves  a  s  pecial  description.  It  is  narrow 
gauged  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  word,  the  distance  between 
the  rails  being  only  two  feet.  The  cars  are  very  small  and 
low,  and  the  wheels  are  about  twelve  inches  in  diameter. 
The  car  is  ten  feet  long  and  six  feet  wide,  and  contains  four 
seats,  each  of  which  accommodates  four  persons ;  it  is  open 
on  the  sides  so  that  passengers  can  get  on  and  off  easily  and 
have  an  open  view.  The  locomotive  is  no  larger  than  the 
cars,  but  powerful  enough  to  pull  ten  or  twelve  of  them  up 
the  mountain  at  the  rate  of  eight  or  ten  miles  an  hour.  No 
where  is  the  track  straight  even  for  a  distance  of  a  couple 
of  hundred  yards,  but  it  winds  right  and  left  in  the  most 
fantastic  manner,  and  reminded  me  strikingly  of  the  lines 
described  in  one  of  the  old  country  dances. 
The  signal  is  given,  the  pigmy  locomotive  puffs  and  sput- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  233 

ters,  the  train  with  its  load  of  humanity  rolls  away  up 
hills  and  mountains  and  across  awful  chasms,  up,  up,  up ; 
hour  after  hour,  with  a  grade  of  one  to  eighteen  and  twenty- 
eight,  or  on  an  average  of  twenty-three  feet.  It  winds  along 
the  rugged  mountain  side,  over  awful  chasms,  and  with 
such  short  curves  that  one's  hair  stands  on  end  when  look 
ing  down  or  up  the  steep  cliffs,  the  summits  of  which  tour 
er  above  the  clouds.  A  loose  stone  rolling  down,  a  brok 
en  rail,  or  a  derailment  would  immediately  hurl  the  iron 
horse  with  its  cars  and  human  lives  thousands  of  feet 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  abyss,  and  reduce  the  whole 
to  an  unrecognizable  wreck.  Beautiful  trees,  grass,  flow 
ers,  creeping  plants  adorn  hills  and  vales  except  in  the  ra 
vines  and  cliffs,  where  foaming  creeks  and  cataracts  have 
torn  away  the  vegetation  by  tumultuously  tossing  them 
selves  from  rock  to  rock,  from  cliff  to  cliff,  from  valley  to 
valley,  gradually  uniting  in  the  rivers  that  continually 
feed  the  mighty  Ganges. 

The  track  follows  a  t went y -five-foot- wide  driveway,  the 
most  part  of  which  is  hewn  out  of  the  solid  rock,  and  on  this 
highway  may  be  seen  the  mountaineers  from  Nepaul  and 
Thibet  driving  large  numbers  of  pack  animals  (ponies  and 
cattle)  carrying  products  of  Europe  and  America  into  and 
beyond  the  mountains  to  the  peoples  of  northern  Asia.  Here 
and  there  on  the  green  hills  are  the  best  tea  plantations  of 
India.  These  long,  low,  white  buildings  are  the  residences 
and  factories  of  the  planters,  and  close  by  are  the  dwellings 
of  the  native  laborers,  consisting  of  long  rows  of  thatched 
huts,  and  in  terraces  along  the  steep  hills  are  endless  rows  of 
tea  bushes,  among  which  laborers  dressed  in  picturesque 
costumes  of  gay  colors  are  busy  picking  tea,  advancing  in 
irregular  lines — resembling  the  skirmish  lines  of  an  army. 
This  picture  is  at  first  seen  against  the  horizon,  so  far  up 
that  the  men  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  bushes, 


234 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


and  a  couple  of  hours  later  the  same  picture  may  be  viewed 
far  down  in  a  deep  valley. 

After  awhile  at  the  head  of  a  long  valley  appear  lofty, 
white  objects  whose  summits  rise  far  up  above  the  mist  and 
the  clouds ;  it  is  the  highest  peaks  of  the  Himalaya  mountains, 
from  sixty  to  one  hundred  miles  distant.  Thus  the  journey 
is  continued  up  the  mountains  until  the  train  finally  stops 
at  Darjieling,  which  is  one  of  the  most  noteworthy  places  in 
the  world.  It  is  a  sanitarium,  and  the  summer  residence  of 
the  government  of  Bengal,  and  during  the  hot  season  makes 
a  favorite  resort  for  many  of  the  Hindoo  nobles  and  princes 


PALACE  AND  TEMPLE  IN  THE  HIMALAYAS. 


as  well  as  Europeans.  The  city  has  a  few  thousand  inhabi 
tants,  the  majority  of  whom  are  Thibetan  and  Nepaul 
mountaineers.  There  we  see  the  Christian  church,  the  Mo 
hammedan  mosque  and  the  Hindoo  temple  in  close  prox 
imity  to  each  other,  and  on  the  streets  one  may  often  meet 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  235 

Catholic  monks  carrying  the  crucifix,  and  Llamas  or  Thibet  an 
priests  in  long,  brown  felt  mantles,  turning  their  praying- 
wheel,  which  consists  of  an  artistically  made  machine  of  sil 
ver,  in  which  are  engraved  the  following  words:  "Rum 
mahnee  padme  hang,"  which  means,  "Hail  thee,  jewel  and 
lotus  flower,"  or  "Glory  to  God." 

Residences,  churches,  hotels  and  all  public  and  private 
buildings  lie  in  a  semi-circle  on  the  western  slope  of  one  ot 
the  mountains,  offering  a  very  fine  picture.  Excellent  roads 
are  built  in  zigzag  form  up  and  down  over  hills  and  mount 
ains.  There  are  scarcely  any  carriages  but  a  kind  of  palan 
quin  called  dandies,  and  small  ponies  which  are  so  sure 
footed  that  they  can  climb  up  and  down  the  mountains  like 
goats.  Both  men  and  women  ride  these  or  are  carried  by 
three  strong  bearers  from  Thibet.  Darjieling  is  elevated 
eight  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  at  this 
place  black  clouds  may  often  be  seen  sweeping  along  the 
western  side  far  below  one's  feet.  The  air  is  so  clear,  fresh 
and  salubrious  that  it  seems  to  infuse  new  strength,  vitality 
and  almost  new  life.  It  impels  either  to  activity  or  to  sleep ; 
it  is  impossible  to  sit  still  or  be  mentally  inactive.  The  view 
of  the  landscape  below  is  claimed  to  be  the  most  beautiful  in 
the  whole  world.  Beneath  the  terraces  on  which  we  walk 
are  seen  smiling  valleys,  one  below  another,  away  down 
far  into  the  plains  of  Bengal,  variegated  by  rivers,  forests, 
cities  and  many-colored  fields,  and  far  away  to  the  distant 
north  against  the  blue  horizon,  one  great  mountain  rises 
above  and  beyond  another,  capped  with  eternal  crowns  of 
snow  high  up  among  the  restless  clouds — twenty  thousand 
feet  higher  than  Darjieling,  and  twenty-nine  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea, —  over  five  miles  in  height. 

The  loftiest  peaks  are  Kinchinjunga  forty-five  miles,  and 
Mount  Everest,  sixty  miles  distant  from  Darjieling.  It  is 
claimed  that  these  peaks  can  be  seen  for  a  distance  of 


236  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

three  hundred  miles  in  clear  weather.  There  these  mighty 
giants  stand  clad  in  snowy  garbs,  like  sentinels  at 
the  portals  of  infinite  space,  seemingly  belonging  more  to 
heaven  than  to  earth.  No  wonder  that  the  Hindoos  look 
at  them  with  solemn  awe,  for  cold  and  insensible  to  beau 
ty  and  grandeur  must  he  be,  who  does  not,  at  this  sight, 
feel  his  own  littleness  and  the  inconceivable  greatness  of 
the  creator. 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 


Cholera  and  other  Diseases — The  Causes  of  Cholera— How  the  Soldiers  are 
Protected  Against  it— Sudden  Deaths— Fevers — The  Teraj— Contempt 
for  Death— The  Cholera  Hospital— The  Sistersof  Mercy— The  Princes 
Tagore — Hindoo  Family  Customs— Hindoo  Gallantry — A  Hindoo 
Pete. 


The  cholera  has  its  home  proper  in  India,  and  breeds  in 
the  Bengal  lowlands  after  the  rainy  season,  which  closes  in 
the  fall.  Its  ravages  are  most  pronounced  in  the  month  of 
December,  but  cases  are  quite  frequent  the  whole  year  round. 
During  my  second  year's  sojourn  in  India  it  was  very  violent 
in  December,  but  I  would  scarcely  have  known  of  it  at  all  if 
my  official  duties  had  not  made  it  incumbent  on  me  to  re 
port  from  the  board  of  health  of  India  to  that  of  the  United 
States  at  Washington.  Now  and  then  I  was  reminded  of 
the  existence  of  the  malady  by  the  sudden  deaths  of  my  ac 
quaintances.  On  three  different  occasions  I  enjoyed  a  pleas 
ant  evening  entertainment  in  company  with  a  number  of 
friends,  one  of  whom  was  not  only  dead,  but  even  buried 
before  the  next  morning. 

Although  India  is  ravaged  by  different  deadly  diseases, 
especially  a  kind  of  fever  of  which  people  die  after  one  or  two 
days'  sickness;  still,  disease  and  death  are  scarcely  ever 
mentioned  among  Anglo-Indians.  They  don't  like  to  talk 
about  such  unpleasant  things.  A  friend  is  suddenly  and  un 
expectedly  snatched  away  from  social  circles,  but  his  death 


237 


238  STORY  OF  AX  EMIGRANT. 

is  seldom  or  never  mentioned,  just  as  if  a  secret  and  united 
agreement  of  taciturnity  had  been  entered  into  by  the  sur 
vivors.  Once  I  was  invited  to  dine  at  the  table  d'hote  of 
the  officers  at  the  military  station  Dum-Dum,  a  few  miles 
from  Calcutta.  I  drove  out  there  in  the  evening,  and  at 
eight  o'clock  I  had  dinner  in  company  with  about  forty  offi 
cers,  the  majority  of  whom  belonged  to  the  Scotch  frontier 
regiment.  Col.  Chapman,  one  of  the  party,  was  a  jolly  old 
Scotch  warrier5  and  Lieut.-Col.  Hill  was  my  host.  After  a 
splendid  dinner  such  as  India  alone  can  offer,  the  company 
grouped  themselves  around  several  whist-tables  according 
to  the  custom  in  the  higher  circles  among  the  English.  Col. 
Chapman  was  my  partner,  and  we  parted  company  at  one 
o'clock.  I  accompanied  Lieut.-Col.  Hill  to  his  villa,  and  re 
tired  for  the  night  At  eight  o'clock  the  next  morning  he  entered 
my  room  with  the  sad  news  that  he  was  just  returning  from 
the  funeral  of  Col.  Chapman.  The  stern  old  warrior  who 
returned  unscathed  from  twenty  battle-fields  was  attacked 
by  the  cholera  at  two  o'clock,  died  at  four  o'clock,  and  was 
buried  at  six  o'clock.  Such  is  life  in  India. 

At  the  foot  of  the  Himalayas  is  a  very  extensive  territory 
called  Teraj.  Its  soil  is  very  fertile  and  adapted  for  tea  cult 
ure.  The  whole  territory  is  covered  with  timber,  bushes 
and  other  plants,  which,  with  the  exception  of  certain  culti 
vated  portions,  form  an  impenetrable  jungle,  affording  a 
natural  resort  for  tigers,  leopards,  and  other  wild  beasts. 
The  lofty  mountains  and  the  dense  jungles  shut  out  the  sun, 
and  the  whole  region  is  full  of  poisonous  vapors  which  are  nev 
er  dispelled.  It  would  be  almost  certain  death  for  an  Euro 
pean  to  live  there  for  any  length  of  time,  and  it  is  customary 
even  in  passing  through  the  country  on  the  railway  train  tc 
take  double  doses  of  quinine  as  a  precaution.  The  fever  and 
cholera  which  are  thus  generated  in  the  jungles  and  spread 
through  the  rice  fields  cause  terrible  ravages,  not  only  among 


STORY  OF  AX  EMIGRANT.  239 

the  Europeans,  but  also  among  the  natives.  Medical  science 
has  done  a  great  deal  to  mitigate  this  evil,  and  the  cholera, 
at  least,  has  been  carefully  studied  and  controlled  by  the 
medical  department  of  the  Anglo-Indian  army,  so  at  present 
the  malady  is  not  feared  so  much  as  might  be  expected. 
The  germs  of  the  disease  consist  of  microbes,  which  are  car 
ried  in  swarms  by  the  wind.  If  such  a  pestiferous  current  of 
air  strikes  a  place  where  soldiers  are  stationed,  they  are  im 
mediately  ordered  to  break  camp,  and  in  a  few  hours  the 
whole  force  is  marching  at  a  right  angle  with  the  wind,  and 
after  a  day's  march  and  a  night's  bivouac  the  physicians  are 
generally  able  to  tell  whether  the  troops  are  out  of  the  chol 
era  district  or  not.  If  not,  the  march  is  continued  day  after 
day,  always  at  a  right  angle  with  that  of  the  preceding-day, 
until  the  air  contains  no  more  cholera  microbes. 

Old  officers  of  the  army  told  me  that  they  had  seen  the 
cholera  pass  over  one  part  of  the  camp  attacking  every 
fourth  man  on  one  side  of  the  camp  street  without  touching 
a  single  one  on  the  other.  It  is  claimed  that  the  fear  and 
anxiety  caused  by  this  dreadful  malady  are  even  more  danger 
ous  than  the  disease  itself. 

One  day  while  sitting  at  my  breakfast  table  I  received  a 
message  from  the  University  hospital  that  an  American  sail 
or  was  very  anxious  to  see  me  before  he  died.  I  immediately 
drove  over  there  and  was  met  at  the  entrance  by  the  pres 
ident,  Dr.  J.  M.  Coates,  but  when  I  arrived  in  the  cholera 
apartment  the  man  had  just  died.  A  sister  of  mercy  was 
present  at  his  death-bed,  and  had  promised  to  carry  his  last 
message  to  me,  which  consisted  in  a  greeting  of  love  and  a 
few  trinkets  to  be  sent  to  his  mother  in  the  state  of  Maine. 
There  was  a  large  apartment  filled  with  cholera  patients. 
Many  of  the  native  patients  were  visited  by  their  friends  and 
relatives ;  for  the  Hindoos  do  not  entertain  any  fear  of  death, 
but  rather  court  it,  believing  that  a  death  caused  by  aconta- 


240  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

gious  disease  or  apoisonous  snake  is  simply  a  dispensation 
of  Providence  by  which  they  are  called  away  to  a  better  life. 

As  an  illustration  of  this  fact  I  mention  the  following  inci 
dent:  One  day  while  I  was  inspecting  an  American  vessel  a 
Hindoo  laborer  fell  overboard,  and  a  Norwegian  sailor 
plunged  into  the  water  and  saved  him.  After  being  brought 
safely  on  the  deck  the  Hindoo  became  so  angry  at  the  Nor 
wegian  that  he  could  have  killed  him,  simply  because  he  had 
prevented  his  entering  paradise.  Such  occurrences  are  quite 
frequent. 

I  mentioned  that  I  met  a  sister  of  mercy  at  the  death-bed 
of  an  American  cholera  patient  in  the  hospital.  I  cannot 
neglect  this  opportunity  to  express  my  heartfelt  gratitude 
to  these  noble  women,  the  modern  nuns  of  the  Catholic 
church.  I  have  seen  them  in  the  dens  of  degradation  and 
wretchedness  in  the  American  cities,  among  the  sick, 
wounded  and  dying  soldiers  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  South  ; 
I  have  seen  them  in  an  Arabian  sea-port,  searching  for  pov 
erty-stricken  travelers,  among  the  cholera  patients  and 
among  the  unfortunate  inmates  of  the  prisons  of  India, 
always  performing  the  same  angelic  duty,  helping  the  poor, 
tending  the  sick,  and  comforting  the  despondent.  Oi 
course  I  am  no  Catholic,  nor  is  it  my  intention  to  defend  the 
Catholic  faith ;  but  I  wish  to  acknowledge  my  appreciation 
of  and  pay  my  respect  to  the  noble  work  which  the  priests 
and  nuns  of  that  church  are  carrying  on  among  the  lowl} 
and  erring  members  of  our  race. 

The  Hindoos  are  the  most  polite  and  clever  people  I  evei 
saw.  Their  manners  are  exquisitely  fine;  no  rudeness,  no 
profanity,  no  intemperance  is  to  be  found  among  them,  not 
even  among  the  lowest  classes.  As  has  been  said  already, 
the  higher  classes  are  exceedingly  polished  and  cleanly;  all 
treat  their  parents  and  old  people  with  marked  respect.  I 
shall  narrate  a  few  incidents  to  illustrate  this :  Shortly  after 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


241 


my  arrival  in  Calcutta  I  became  acquainted  with  the  two 
Princes  Tagore,  especially  the  younger  of  them.  They  are 
titled  princes,  and  enormously  rich.  They  have  many  pal 
aces,  hundreds  of  secretaries,  workingmen,  servants,  and 
pensioners,  and,  as  is  the  custom  among  the  Hindoos, 
whose  families  are  governed  according  to  the  principks  of 
patriarchal  life,  they  all  live  together  and  get  their  support 
from  the  common  property.  I  visited 
them  several  times,  but  mostly  the 
younger  prince  who  was  at  that  time 
about  forty-five  years  old,  and  a  great 
admirer  of  America.  Although  a  man 
of  that  age  and  rank  he  never  talked 
in  the  presence  of  his  elder  brother  un 
til  the  latter  had  by  a  word  or  a  nod 
signified  that  he  was  allowed  to 
speak.  A  son  is  never  allowed  to  talk 
in  the  presence  of  his  father  until  the 
latter  has  finished.  The  eldest  member 
of  the  family  is  its  highest  ruler,  and 
even  the  Princes  Tagore  would  never 
take  any  important  steps  before  ob 
taining  the  consent  of  their  aged 
mother. 

Many  prominent  Hindoos  and  Mo 
hammedans,  some  of  whom  were 
native  rulers,  came  and  visited  me,  before  they  invited  me 
to  their  great  fetes.  One  of  tne  frequent  visitors  was  Dr. 
L.  N.  Maitra,  a  Brahmin  of  the  highest  class,  and  one  ol 
the  most  intelligent  and  clever  men  I  met  in  India.  He  used 
to  sit  with  me  for  hours,  telling  about  the  life,  history 
and  religion  of  the  Hindoos.  Having  become  acquainted 
with  each  other  by  several  months'  intercourse,  one  day 
he  sat  a  long  while  at  my  house  as  if  absorbed  in  deep 

16 


DR.   MAITRA   READING 
SANSKRIT. 


242 


STCRY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


thought,  and  when  he  was  ready  to  leave  he  asked  if  1 
would  allow  him  to  recite  a  Hindoo  proverb  in  Sanskrit. 
In  doing  this  he  proved  himself  to  be  a  fine  elocutionist, 
and  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  had  never  heard  more  music  in 
prose,  although  I  could  not,  of  course,  understand  a  single 
word  of  it. 

I  asked  him  for  a  translation,  and  the  next  day  he  sent 
me  one  with  the  assurance  that  he  intended  to  apply  the 
proverb  to  me.  It  reads  thus:  "Do  not  enter  into  a  very 
intimate  acquaintance  with  anybody ;  but  if  you  do,  see 
that  your  friend  is  not  a  stranger;  but  if  he  is  a  stranger, 

see  to  it  that  he  is 
not  an  educated 
man ;  but  if  he  is  ed 
ucated,  never  part 
from  him;  but  if  fate 
compels  you  to  part 
from  him,  then  try 
to  control  that 
which  we  cannot 
control,  that  is,  die, 
for  death  alone  can 
make  up  for  the  loss 
of  such  a  good 
man."  I  have  told 
this  to  show  not 
only  the  Hindoo's 
conception  of  the 
happiness  of  death, 
but  also  his  exquis- 
ite  politeness  and 
MY  CHIEF  CLERK.  delicacy  of  feeling. 

When  a  Hindoo  wishes  to  pay  an  elderly  man  or  woman 
hisrespectorinsome  manner  honorthem,he  calls  them  father 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  243 

or  mother,  or,  if  they  are  his  equals  in  age,  brother  or 
sister.  Even  to-day,  when  my  former  clerks  write  to  me 
they  call  me  father,  and  ask  me  to  remember  them  to 
; their  dear  mother,  that  is,  my  wife. 

On  a  few  occasions  some  Hindoo  princes  and  nobles 
would  arrange  special  entertainments  and  ietes  for  me,  or 
rather  in  honor  of  the  country  represented  by  me,  and  on 
such  occasions  the  invitation  was  not  limited  to  me,  but 
was  extended  to  my  friends  also,  so  that  I  could  take  with 
me  of  these  as  many  as  I  pleased. 

The  Tagore  family  had  a  beautiful  country  house  outside 
the  city,  where,  one  day  shortly  after  my  arrival,  a  party 
was  given  in  honor  of  myself  as  representing  the  United 
States.  Among  the  friends  who  accompanied  me  on  this 
occasion  was  the  Danish  traveler,  D'  Irgens-Bergh,  whose 
acquaintance  I  had  made  on  my  journey  from  Naples  to 
Alexandria.  The  villa  might  more  correctly  have  been  called 
a  palace,  for  it  was  on  a  grand  scale  and  a  perfect  gem  of 
architectural  beauty.  The  floors  and  walls  of  all  apartments 
were  of  marble.  A  beautiful  and  finely  kept  park  surrounded 
the  palace,  and  here,  on  the  evening  of  our  visit,  hundreds  of 
Chinese  lanterns  illuminated  the  spacious  grounds.  The 
most  brilliant  feature  of  the  entertainment  was  music  ren 
dered  by  a  complete  orchestra  of  native  musicians  who  used 
Hindoo  instruments  entirely  different  from  ours ;  but  pianos, 
guitars  and  other  instruments  with  which  we  are  acquainted, 
were  also  used.  The  younger  prince  was  a  great  lover  of 
music,  and  maintained,  at  his  own  expense,  a  conservatory 
of  music  and  a  large  orchestra,  giving  instruction  in 
music  free  of  charge  to  any  young  man  who  was  peculiarly 
.gifted  in  that  line.  He  is  also  well  versed  in  Sanskrit  litera 
ture,  and  has  written  several  scientific  works  in  Sanskrit. 
Before  I  left  he  presented  me  with  one  of  these  works  con- 


244  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

taming  his  autograph,  which  is  reproduced  here  as  a  sample 
of  the  hand-  writing  of  an  educated  Hindoo: 


•^  — 


JL 


Jt.  cA- 


Our  refreshments  at  the  fete  consisted  of  dainties  prepared 
by  native  cooks.  Cream,  rice,  sugar,  eggs,  fish,  flour,  and 
spices  were  the  chief  ingredients  of  the  different  courses. 
Champagne  and  other  European  drinks  were  served  with 
the  courses,  and  after  the  repast  we  were  offered  coffee, 
and  the  servants  brought  wash  basins  and  towels.  Finally 
the  major  domo  passed  an  urn-shaped  golden  goblet, 
placed  on  a  gold  tray.  In  this  goblet  was  a  fine  sponge 
soaked  with  attar  of  roses,  which  costs  about  a  dollar  a  drop, 
and  in  which  the  guests  dipped  the  tips  of  their  fingers  and 
moistened  their  foreheads  and  clothes.  The  least  contact 
with  this  attar  causes  a  fragrance  which  lasts  for  months. 

Neither  on  this  occasion  nor  at  any  other  festivity  ar- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


243 


ranged  by  native  Hindoos  were  any  of  the  women  present 
or  visible  to  us,  although  we  knew  they  were  close  enough 
to  see  us  through  windows  or  gratings.    The  men  them«4 
selves  assisted  in  waiting  on  us,   but   tasted    nothing  in- 
our  presence.    When  finally  the  carriages  drove  up  and  the 
quests  pirted  ea^h  one  of  them  received  a  huge  bouquet  of  • 
beautiful,  fragrant  flowers. 


;RAJAH   TAG  ORE. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

Agriculture,  Manufacture  and  Architecture — Wheat  Growing — The  Farm 
Laborer — His  Condition,  Implements,  etc.  The  Taj-Mahal — Jugglers- 
Snake  Charmers — From  My  Journal. 


A.  large  majority  of  the  Hindoos  are  agriculturists.  The 
staple  crops  are  wheat,  rice,  and  different  species  of  pease. 
The  wheat  production  of  India  exerts  a  great  influence  on 
the  grain  market  of  Europe,  and  is  one  of  the  most  danger 
ous  competitors  to  our  American  wheat.  Having  been  ordered 
by  the  United  States  government  to  report  on  the  wheat 
growing  of  India,  I  made  this  a  special  object  of  investiga 
tion  and  study,  and  in  December,  1882,  sent  a  report  to  the 
government  in  Washington  which  is  cur  first  reliable  infor 
mation  on  that  subject;  it  elicited  a  great  deal  of  attention, 
and  was  a  source  of  genuine  surprise  in  this  country.  I  sub 
mit  a  few  extracts  from  this  report : 

The  annual  "wheat  production  of  India  now  reaches  two  hundred  and 
forty  million  bushels,  of  which  two  hundred  million  may  be  exported,  while 
the  natives  make  their  bread  from  other  kinds  of  grain.  The  total  area 
devoted  to  wheat  each  year  is  now  a  little  over  twenty  million  acres,  and 
the  best  average  yield  is  thirteen  and  one-half  bushels  per  acre.  Wheat 
growing  is  now  receiving  the  special  attention  of  the  general  and  local  gov 
ernments,  and  important  works  are  being  made  and  projected  for  an  exten 
sive  system  of  canal  irrigation.  One  of  these,  the  Sirhind  canal  in  the  Pun 
jab,  has  just  been  completed;  it  was  built  mainly  by  prisonlabor,  i$five  hun- 
'dred  and  two  miles  long,  and  will  irrigate  seven  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  acres  through  two  thousand  five  hundred  miles  of  minor  channels. 

The  wheat  is  sown  in  the  autumn  and  harvested  in  March  or  April ;  it  is 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


247 


usually  sown  in  drills  or  rows,  weeded  like  garden  stuff,  and  in  quantities 
not  much  larger  than  garden  patches  in  the  United  States.  The  agricultural 
population  numbers  nearly  two  hundred  millions ;  it  is  the  aggregate  of 
innumerable  little  units  which,  in  agriculture,  as  in  everything  else  in  India, 
brings  the  country  into  importance;  and  this  fact  is  so  closely  interwoven 
with  the  whole  social,  industrial  and  legal  network  of  India,  that  it  bears 
a  strong  influence  even  upon  the  future  question  of  Indian  versus  American 
wheat. 

The  Indian  agriculturist, — "Ryot," — can  in  no  sense  be  compared  to  the 
American  farmer,  but  rather  to  the  late  serf  of  Russia.  He  is  a  tenant  on 
hard  conditions,  and  is  by  custom  and  bigotry  almost  a  fixture  on  the  spot 
of  land  where  he  was  born;  his  farming  is  done  on  a  very  small  scale  ana 
according  to  old  methods,  to  which  he  clings  with  religious  veneration;  h;S 


PLOWING   IN   INDIA. 

wants  are  very  few,  and  he  endures  povert3'  and  even  "hunger  with  patience; 
he  cultivates  his  patch  of  five  to  fifteen  acres  on  shares  for  the  landed  pro 
prietor, — "zemindar," — who  holds  under  rental  to  the  government,  and  the 
better  half  of  his  gross  income  generally  goes  to  the  zemindar,  the  priest 
(Brahmin)  and  the  usurer,  in  the  form  of  rent,  presents,  offerings  and  inter- 


248 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


est,  and  if  he  can  net  ten  cents  a  day  by  his  hard  and  hopeless  labor,  that 
will  suffice  for  the  most  pressing  wants  of  his  household.  His  home  is  a 
mud,  or  bamboo-hut,  his  property  a  pair  of  small  bullocks,  a  few  cows, 
calves  and  goats,  a  wooden  cart,  and  a  few  brass  and  earthen  pots,  in  all 
worth  about  fifty  dollars,  and  h  s  implements  and  tools  are  of  the  rudest 
kind,  such  as  his  ancestors  used  a  thousand  years  ago  ;  and  yet  he  is  making 
some  progress  under  British  rule,  and  finds  his  wants  increasing,  and  at 
the  same  time  better  outlets  for  his  produce  and  better  recompense  for  his 
labor,  and  on  the  whole,  is  so  independent  on  ten  cents  a  day,  that  he  will 
eat  or  store  his  wheat  rather  than  sell  it  below  a  certain  price.  Of  course 
he  does  not  employ  machinery  in  farming,  but  plows  his  land  with  a  crook 
ed  pitce  of  iron-pointed  wood,  harrows  it  with  an  instrument  resembling  a 
common  ladder  laid  flat  on  the  ground  and  dragged  by  little  bullocks  cross- 
ways  over  the  field  ;  he  sows  by  hand,  reaps  with  a  rude  sickle,  carries  the 
sheaves  home  on  his  back  or  in  the  bullock  cart,  threshes  them  with  a 
wooden  club,  or  lets  the  cattle  tramp  out  the  grain,  and  cleans  it  by  hand- 
winnowing. 


•4 


LABORERS  AT  THE  INDIGO   PRESS. 


India  of  course  yields  a  great  number  of  other  kinds  of  agri 
cultural  products,  especially  the  indigo  plant,  from  wliich 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  249 

the  renowned  dye-stuff  is  made;  rape,  mustard  and  other 
species  of  seeds  from  which  oils  are  pressed,  the  opium  plant, 
etc. 

In  the  cities  and  towns  the  people  devote  themselves  to 
trades  and  handicrafts,  in  some  of  which  they  attain  greater 
perfection  than  any  other  people.  Their  beautiful  carvings 
in  wood  and  ivory,  their  exquisite  embroideries,  their  textiles 
and  yarns  exceed  everything  in  that  line.  But  their  ability 
is  not  due  to  any  genius  or  ingenuity,  but  to  close  observa 
tion  and  patient  application.  According  to  their  religious 
tenets  the  sons  must  learn  the  trade  of  their  father,  and  they 
begin  to  work  at  his  side  as  soon  as  they  can  handle  a  needle, 
chisel,  or  other  tool,  and  continue  the  practice  day  after  day, 
year  after  year,  until  they  also  in  turn,  have  taught  their 
children  and  grandchildren  the  same  trade.  Certain  places 
are  noted  for  certain  industries,  as  Dakka  for  its  fine  muslin; 
Benares  for  its  embroideries,  etc.  The  muslin  weavers  of 
Dakka  can  with  their  hands  spin  and  weave  fabrics  which 
are  almost  as  fine  as  cobweb,  and  a  person  who  is  not  ac 
customed  to  such  work  would  not  be  able  to  feel  the  thread 
between  his  fingers;  but  the  sensitiveness  of  the  Hindoo 
spinner  in  Dakka  has  been  developed  to  such  an  extraordi 
nary  degree  during  a  hundred  generations  that  he  is  able  to 
perform  'works  which  would  be  perfectly  impossible  for 
others.  I  have  seen  a  garment  presented  to  a  Hindoo  king 
which  was  so  fine  in  texture  that,  although  it  was  a  com 
plete  suit,  it  was  folded  up  and  safely  packed  into  a  mango 
shell,  which  is  only  a  little  larger  than  an  almond  shell,  and 
thus  presented.  I  have  in  my  possession  a  little  box  two 
inches  wide  and  four  inches  long,  made  of  sandal-wood  and 
adorned  with  fine  carvings ;  all  the  edges  are  inlaid  with 
pieces  of  ivory,  in  which  are  again  inlaid  more  than  two 
thousand  separate  pieces  of  different  metals  so  skilfully  put 


250 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


together  that  the  joints  can  not  be  detected  even  by  using  a 
magnifying  glass. 

In  architecture  the  Hindoos  also  distinguished  themselves 
centuries  ago  by  the  erection  of  buildings  which  are  still  ob 
jects  of  the  admiration  of  the  world.  One  of  these  master 
works  of  architecture  is  regarded  as  the  most  beautiful  ever 
erected  by  the  hands  of  men.  It  is  the  T -"-Mahal  at  Agra, 


TAJ-MAHAL. 

a  mausoleum  erected  by  emperor  Shah  Jehan  over  the  re 
mains  of  his  wife,  Bengos  Begum,  who  died  in  1630.  "  During 
a  period  of  seventeen  years  after  her  death  Shah  Jehan  col 
lected  building  material  of  marble  and  precious  stones  to  be 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  mausoleum.  All  parts  of  In 
dia  contributed  to  this,  as  did  the  different  parts  of  the  Holy 
Land  to  the  temple  of  Solomon,  and  its  estimated  cost  is 
twenty-five  million  dollars.  It  is  built  in  Moorish  style,  with 
slender  pillars,  arid  its  majesty  and  beauty  profoundly  im 
press  the  beholder.  M  my  buildings  in  the  world  excel  this 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  251 

temple  in  size,  but  none  can  rival  it  in  ideal  beauty  and  fin 
ish.  It  looks  more  like  a  temple  of  thanksgiving  and  praise 
than  an  abode  of  sorrow,  and  the  spirit  of  love  seems  to  fill 
its  silent  chambers,  quickening  and  warming  the  cold  mar 
ble  and  transforming  the  whole  building  into  a  dream,  into 
a  psalm  in  stone.  It  is  rich  in  mosaics,  and  precious  stones 
of  different  colors  assume  the  shape  of  fresh  vines  and  living 
flowers.  There  it  stands  in  solemn  silence  on  the  banks  of 
the  Jumna,  like  an  enchanted  vision.  It  seemed  to  grow  in 
magnificent  splendor  before  my  eyes  as  I  approached  it. 
The  airy  dome  and  the  white  marble  pillars  glittered  in  fab 
ulous,  mystic  beauty,  and  towered  far  above  the  gigantic 
cypress  trees,  which  stood  in  rows  like  sentinels  around  it. 
One  enters  the  park  in  front  of  the  main  building  through  a 
pillared  archway  of  colossal  dimensions,  built  of  red  sand 
stone  and  surmounted  by  twenty-six  white  cupolas.  The 
height  of  the  arches  is  one  hundred  and  forty  feet. 

"  Taj-Mahal  is  erected  on  a  base  of  red  sand-stone  nine  hun 
dred  and  sixty-four  feet  long  and  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
nine  feet  wide,  one  side  of  which  is  washed  by  the  river 
Jumna,  and  on  each  of  the  four  corners  is  a  tower  of  red 
sand-stone  covered  by  a  white  marble  kiosk.  Two  mosques 
take  up  the  east  and  west  sides.  From  this  ground  rises  a  fine 
terrace  of  white  marble,  three  hundred  and  thirteen  feet 
square,  in  the  center  of  which  is  the  beautiful  main  building 
itself.  At  each  angle  is  an  airy  marble  spire  of  exquisite 
style,  surmounted  by  a  noble  cupola  resting  on  eight  pillars. 
They  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  and  a  spiral 
stairway  leads  to  the  very  top.  The  ground-plan  of  Taj- 
Mahal  forms  a  regular  octangle.  The  four  sides  on  which 
the  entrances  are  located  are  each  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  feet  long,  and  turn  to  the  four  cardinal  points  of  the 
compass.  The  roof  is  seventy  feet  above  the  base.  Over 
each  corner  is  a  gorgeous  spire,  and  over  the  center  towers  a 


252  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

marble  dome  measuring  seventy  feet  in  diameter,  and  ris« 
ing  to  a  height  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet.    It  is  COY- 

,  ered  by  a  gilt  vault  in  the  shape  of  a  half-moon  about  two 
hundred  and  sixty  feet  above  the  floor.  All  this  is  of  the 

\finest  Jaypoor  marble,  carefully  polished,  and  still  retaining 
its  pure  color. 

V  "Notwithstanding  the  colossal  size  of  Taj-Mahal,  every 
part  of  it,  from  the  foundation  to  the  dome,  is  adorned  with 

£="  artistically  executed  designs,  and  the  whole  is  as  carefully 
wrought  as  the  finest  ebony  ornament.  Thus  the  entire  Koran 
is  inscribed  on  it.  Even  to-day  the  burial  vault  of  the  beau 
tiful  queen  is  filled  with  the  fragrance  of  roses,  jasmines  and 
sandal-wood.  The  graves  of  the  empress  and  emperor  con 
stitute  sarcophagi  of  the  purest  marble,  covered  with  elegant 
inlays  of  agate,  carnelians,  lapis  lazuli  and  other  precious 
stones,  and  surrounded  by  a  six-foot-high  gallery  in  the  open 
net-work  of  which  lilies,  roses  and  other  flowers  of  gems 
are  inlaid.  The  dome  in  Taj-Mahal  produces  an  echo  which 
is  more  pleasant,  pure  and  lasting  than  any  other.  A 
single  musical  sound  produced  by  the  human  voice  seems  to 
flow  or  soar  up  there  like  a  prolonged,  pleasant  modulation, 
which  dies  away  so  slowly  that  one  seems  to  hear  it  after  it  is 
silent,  just  as  one  seems  to  see  a  lark  after  following  it  with 
the  eyes  after  it  has  disappeared.  Twenty  thousand  work 
men  were  engaged  for  twenty-two  years  in  erecting  this 
mausoleum." 

These  recollections  from  India  would  be  incomplete  if  I 
should  omit  to  describe  some  of  the  wonderful  tricks  which 
I  saw  performed  by  Hindoo  jugglers.  As  I  was  sitting  one 
day  in  an  open  place  before  the  hotel  in  Benares,  together 
•with  some  English  army  officers,  an  ordinary  looking  Hin 
doo  of  the  lower  classes,  accompanied  by  a  small  boy,  ap 
peared  before  us,  and  asked  permission  to  show  the  mango 
trick-  This  being  granted,  the  boy  scraped  up  some  earth 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  253 

01  the  road  before  our  eyes,  and  made  a  little  mound  of  it 
on  the  floor  of  the  open  veranda  in  front  of  the  hotel. 
The  magician,  who  had  no  other  garment  on  than  a  loose 
ly  wrapped  cotton  cloth,  usually  worn  by  the  men,  and  in 
his  hand  a  white  cloth  and  a  little  bag  containing  a  few 
sticks  and  other  small  implements,  stooped  down  beside 
the  little  mound  of  earth,  and,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  us, 
took  a  mango  kernel  about  twice  the  size  of  a  peach  stone, 
which  he  planted  in  the  little  mound.  Having  smoothed  the 
mound  with  his  hands  he  recited  several  prayers  and  in 
cantations,  and  made  some  motions  over  the  mound  with 
a  magic  wand,  carefully  assuming  an  air  of  expectancy.  Af 
ter  a  minute  or  two  we  saw  the  mound  slowly  opening  at 
the  top  and  the  tender  shoot  of  a  plant  coming  up  through 
the  crack.  The  Hindoo  sat  with  folded  hands,  occasionally 
breathing  on  the  plant,  and  every  now  and  then  he  would 
invoke  some  invisible  being.  Meanwhile  the  plant  grew  tall 
er  and  more  solid,  until  it  finally  assumed  the  shape  of  a 
dwarf  tree,  which  kept  growing  and  sent  out  branches  and 
leaves.  This  development  took  place  gradually  and 
slowly,  until  finally  a  ripe  mango  fruit  was  seen  hanging 
down  from  one  of  the  branches.  During  this  wonderful  per 
formance  the  magician  had  only  now  and  then  for  a  mo 
ment  covered  the  plant  with  the  cloth  in  his  hand. 

At  another  time,  when  I  was  on  the  deck  of  a  large  steam 
er,  a  Hindoo  accompanied  by  a  little  girl  asked  the  passen 
gers  to  permit  him  to  perform  a  trick.  This  being  granted, 
he  placed  a  round  wicker  basket,  resembling  a  paper  waste- 
basket,  on  the  deck,  and  the  little  girl  sat  down  in  it  so  that 
her  head  and  feet  were  flush  with  the  edge  of  the  basket, 
which  was  thus  fairly  filled  up  by  the  girl.  Thereupon  the 
Hindoo  put  the  cover  on  and  took  a  long,  straight,  double- 
edged  sword  which  he  ran  through  the  basket  in  all  direc 
tions.  It  was  a  shocking  sight,  some  of  the  ladies  screamed, 


254 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


others  fainted.  But  when  he  removed  the  cover  from  the 
basket  the  girl  came  out  alive  and  without  injury.  The 
sword  was  handed  to  us  for  inspection,  and  I  am  perfectly 
sure  that  it  was  a  straight,  solid,  honest  infantry  weapon. 
During  all  this  time  the  basket  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  ship 
so  that  no  springs,  machinery  or  other  contrivance  could  be 
concealed  under  it. 

Snake  charmers  are  very  common  iii  India.     "When  one  of 
these  is  to  perform  a  trick  he  asks  for  a  piece  of  paper,  which 


SNAKE  CHARMERS. 

he  puts  in  the  out-stretched  hand  of  the  spectator,  and  be 
gins -to  play  on  his  flute,  and  stare  with  his  eyes  as  if  he  sees 
something  near  the  hand.  His  whole  body  seems  to  be 
changed  ;  writhing  like  a  worm,  he  continually  plays  on  the 
instrument  and  keeps  his  eyes  riveted  on  the  hand.  Sudden 
ly  he  rushes  forward  and  points  to  the  same.  But  the  spec 
tator  sees  nothing,  and  the  charmer  again  plays  and  con 
torts  his  body  still  more  wildly.  His  arms  are  bare  up  to 
the  elbows,,  and  .he  holds  the  flute  with  both  hands.  Sud- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  255 

denly  he  throws  his  flute  away,  continues  his  motions  and 
repeats  incantations.  Again  he  points  to  the  paper,  and 
while  the  observer  turns  his  eyes  in  that  direction  without 
seeing  anything  unusual,  the  charmer  presses  his  folded  hands 
down  on  it  and  pulls  out  three  large  cobras,  raising  their 
heads  and  stretching  out  their  poisonous  tongues  in  differ 
ent  directions  while  he  holds  them  in  his  hand." 

These  and  similar  tricks  are  performed  daily,  yet  no  one 
has  been  able  to  detect  how  they  are  done.  The  theory  of 
hypnotism  has  recently  been  advanced,  and  it  does  not  seem 
improbable. 

The  following  extract  from  my  journal  may  be  of  interest : 

Oct.  8,  18  ?2. — Yesterday  I  witnessed  one  of  the  most  important  expres- 
s'ons  of  public  opinion  ever  recorded  in  Asia,  in  favor  of  religious  liberty. 
Three  thousand  prominent  persons,  mostly  Hindoos  and  Mohammedans, 
and  a  few  Christians  and  Parsees,  assembled  in  the  city  hall  of  Calcutta, 
and  brilliant  speeches  were  made  eliciting  most  animated  applause  from 
the  native  non-Christian  inhabitants  as  a  protest  against  the  police  prose 
cuting  the  salvation  army,  lately  arrived  in  Bombay.  What  do  the 
Ameii:an  and  Erropean  Christians  think  of  the  necessity  for  Brahmins. 
Mohammedans,  and  Parsees '^o  protest  against  prosecutio/is  ny  Christians 
agair  st  Chr'stians  1 

Dmjie'ing,  Oct.  17,  1882.— Here  dwells  a  tribe  of  mountaineers  who  are 
poly  mdrists,  the  reverse  of  polygamists.  Each  woman  ras  several  bus 
bands,  who  are  generally  brothers  or  near  relatives.  This  practice  has 
locally  decreased  the  population,  while  in  all  other  Hindoo  sects  it  is  rap 
idly  increasing. 

The  English  aristocracy  is  strongly  represented  here.  The  summer  resi 
dence  of  the  Bengal  government,  which  is  located  here,  as  well  as  the  excel 
lent  sanitarium,  attract  thousands  of  travelers.  Excursions,  dinners,  balls 
and  other  festivities  follow  each  other  in  rapid  succession.  This  afternoon  1 
was  present  at  one  of  these  gatherings,  and  met  the  Greek  merchant  Paiochi, 
and  made  other  interesting  acquaintances.  This  evening  shall  attend  a  ball 
given  by  the  governor  of  Bengal.  At  all  these  parties  "  simkin,."  or  cham 
pagne,  flows  in  streams.  Life  is  gay  and  luxurious  among  Cu.  aristocracy 
in  India. 

Nov.  23,  1882.— Was  present  at  a  quiet  and  select  entertainment  with 
the  king  of  Kutch  Behar,  in  his  palace  in  Calcutta.  His  wife  is  a  daughter 
of  the  erreat  Hindoo  reformer  Keshub-Chunder-Sen ;  she  u  a  well  edu- 


236  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

cated,  beautiful  woman,  who,  together  with  her  husband,  the  young  and 
elegant  king,  defies  the  Hindoo  caste  restrictions,  and  appears  publicly  in 
company  with  other  ladies  and  gentlemen. 

Dec.  28,  1882. — Attended  the  decennial  missionary  conference;  five  hun 
dred  missionaries  from  all  parts  of  Asia,  Africa  and  Australia  were  present, 
and  made  it  a  most  interesting  religious  convention.  It  was  a  gathering 
of  highly  cultivated,  intelligent,  courageous  men  and  women,  from  the  gray 
haired  veteran  to  the  young  novice  fresh  from  college.  The  American  mis 
sionaries  took  a  most  prominent  part,  notable  among  whom  was  Dr.  Tho- 
burn,  since  made  a  bishop  in  the  mcthodist  church.  There  were  also  three- 
Swedes,  with  whom  I  formed  an  acquaintance, — Uiigert,  Edman  and  Erik- 
son. 

Jan.  18,  1883.— Attended  the  great  state  ball  in  the  palace  of  the 
viceroy.  Fifteen  hundred  guests  were  present,  and  the  throng  formed  a 
brilliant  picture  of  beauty,  fashion  and  royal  splendor.  There  were  many 
native  nobles,  princes  and  rulers,  the  most  prom'nent  ones  being  the  gawk- 
war  (king)  of  Baroda,  and  the  Kahn  of  Khelat.  Wherever  the  gawkwar 
went  he  was  closely  followed  by  half  a  dozen  turbaned  attendants  and  four 
body  guards  armed  with  daggers  and  cimeters,  or  Damascus  blades.  His 
garment  consisted  of  blue  and  green  plush  and  satin,  and  the  many-colored 
turban  was  almost  covered  with  diamonds.  It  was  claimed  that  the  jewels 
he  wore  that  evening  on  his  breast  and  turban  had  a  value  of  two  million 
dollars. 

Feb.  10,  1883.— In  spite  of  all  efforts  to  ^ive  quietly  I  am  incessantly 
drawn  into  the  whirl  of  social  life ;  yesterday  I  attended  one  of  the  most 
pleasant  festivities  of  the  season.  It  was  a  magn'iicient  fete  given  b}^  the 
Mohammedan  prince  Raj  a  RajendraNa^an  Bahadur  in  his  gorgeous  palace 
and  parks  in  Shova  'Bazar  in  honor  of  the  British  victory  in  Egypt.  Three 
thousand  guests  were  present.  All  kinds  of  amusements  were  arranged, 
such  as  dancing,  concerts,  a  circus  with  uninterrupted  performances,  nautches 
or  dances  performed  by  native  dancing  girls,  etc.  In  different  parts  of  the 
palace  refreshments  were  served,  all  in  the  same  grand  style  as  the  rest  oi 
the  entertainment.  The  parks  and  gardens  were  illuminated  by  thousands 
of  Chinese  lanterns  and  many  electric  lights. 

The  following  is  also  taken  from  my  journal: 

*  *  *  Received  visits  from  the  Reverend  Phillips  Brooks  and  Joseph 
Cook,  and  from  a  young  Swedish  count,  Wachtmeister  by  name,  who  was 
on  his  way  through  Asia,  and  also  from  a  young  prince  from  Madagascar, 
a  son  of  the  queen  of  that  country,  who,  under  the  guidance  of  Ludvig  Lar 
son,  a  Norwegian  sea  captain,  made  a  voyage  through  the  seas  of  Asia  for 
the  purpose  of  learning  practical  navigation.  The  young  prince  spoke 
English  fluently,  and  was  a  very  intelligent  man. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


257 


Attended  a  great  festival  at  a  masonic  lodge  where  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  members  of  the  order  were  present,  among  whom  were  men  of  near 
ly  every  nationality  and  religion.  The  Master's  degree  was  conferred 
on  three  brothers  who  knelt  before  the  same  altar.  One  was  a  Christian, 
and  took  his  obligation  with  the  hand  on  the  bible;  one  was  a  Mohamme 
dan,  who  took  it  with  the  hand  on  the  Koran  ;  the  third,  a  Hindoo,  with 
his  hand  on  the  Shastra.  The  obligation  was  dictated  by  an  English  lord, 
judge  of  the  supreme  court,  assisted  by  the  secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
my  friend  Rustomji,  a  Parsee  and  fire-worshiper.  With  the  religious  in 
tolerance  in  India,  where  all  unite  in  hating  the  Christians,  it  is  only 
among  the  Free  Masons,  who  know  of  no  nationality,  race  or  other  bar 
rier,  that  such  things  are  possible. 

Visited  the  temple  of  the  goddess  Kali  in  a  suburb  of  Calcutta.  Kali  is 
the  goddess  of  hate  and  vengence,  and  this  temple  is  one  of  the  most  cele 
brated  in  India.  One  hundred  and  fifty  Brahmin  priests  officiate  in  the 

same.  The  chief  priest, 
R  o  o  n  ish-Chunder-Mokerje, 
was  a  young  man  with  liber 
al  education.  He  had  spent 
several  years  in  American 
mission  schools.  His  office 
is  held  by  inheritance.  He 
was  a  most  agreeable  com 
panion,  well  versed  in  west 
ern  as  well  as  Sanskrit  liter 
ature.  Once  upon  telling 
him  that  I  had  an  intimate 
friend  in  Sweden  who  was  a 
Christian  priest,  he  gave  me 

_^^____^^^_  »^_    some  pictures  of  the  goddess 

^SKJ3£3BB&  ^lU    Kali  and  other  idols  to  send 

him  with  his  compliments. 
In  return,  I  had  the  pleasure 
a  few  months  later  to  prt  sent 
him  with   a  Swedish   Bible, 
Iwith   his    name    in    golden 
letters  on  the  cover,  from  my 
•friend,  the  Swedish  minister, 
which  present  he  cherished 
>very  highly.     This  Bible  is 
THE  GODDESS  KALI, 
now  kept  in  the  temple  of  Kali. 
At  my  request   Mokerje  prepared   a  brief  extract  of  the  religious  doc- 

tiine  of  the  Hindoos,  which  reads  as  follows: 
17 


238 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


"We  believe  in  heaven  and  hell  as  temporary  abodes  of  reward  and  pun 
ishment.  When  a  man  dies  his  good  and  evil  deeds  are  weighed  on  the  scales. 
First  he  goes  to  heaven  to  receive  his  reward,  then  to  hell  to  suffer  in  pro 
portion  to  his  sins.  When  everything  is  squared  up  he  ayrain  returns  to  the 
world  in  the  form  of  another  being,  the  same  process  is  repeated  again  and 
airain,  and  he  can  attain  perfect  bliss  only  after  he  has  reached  such  a  stage 
of  development  that  he  can  do  neither  good  nor  evil  deeds,  but  must  lose 
himself  in  the  contemplation  of  God  until  he  finally  ceases  to  exist  as  an 
individual  being,  and  is  reunited  with  God  of  whom  he  really  constitutes  a 
part." 

Was  invited  to  the  home  of  Col.  Gordon  to  see  some  proofs  of  occulta- 
tion,  which  is  very  wide-spread  in  India,  and  witnessed  phenomena,  which 
were  so  strange,  that  1  hesitate  to  write  them  down.  I  saw  heavy  ob 
jects  moving  in  the  air  through  the  room  above  our  heads,  and  a  man  with 
the  chair  on  which  he  sat  risinsr  several  feet  from  the  floor  without  the  ait! 
of  any  visible  force  what 
ever.  I  heard  a  s'ate  pen 
cil,  moved  by  an  invisible 
power,  \vriting  on  a  slate, 
and  read  in  plain  English 
what  was  written.  I  also 
saw  in  the  same  manner  a 
pen  writing  on  paper  with 
ink,  and  felt  with  my  hand 
the  moisture  of  the  ink.  I 
know  not  wherein  the  in 
visible  power  consisted 
which  caused  these  phenom 
ena,  but  that  such  a  pow 
er  does  exist  I  know  for  cer 
tain,  for  in  this  case,  at  least, 
there  was  no  chance  for  de 
ception. 

At  the  home  of  the  prince 
Tagore  I  met  the  renowned 
Madame     Blavatsky,    and 
many  Hindoo  theosophists. 
She   is    a   large,    corpulent 
woman,    with   intelligent, 
though  r?ther  coarse,  feat 
ures.      She    believes    that 
she    is    attended   by   Kut-       ABDUI^,  MY  MOHAMMEDAN  SERVANT. 
Humis-Lal-Sing,  a  Buddhistic  hermit  who  is  claimed  to  be  two  thousand 
years  old,  and  have  the  power  of  moving  his  "astral  body"  as  swiftly 
as  thought  to  the  most  distant  places.      For  my  part  I  saw  nothing 
remarkable  among  the  theosophists,  but  it  is  a  common  belief  among  the 


260 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


Hindoos  that  certain  pundits,  or  learned  men,  who  for  years  have  lived  in  the 
mountains  as  hermits,  abstaining  from  food  and  all  sensual  pleasures,  there 
by  attain  such  a  power  of  mind  over  matter  as  to  be  able  to  separate  the 
former  from  the  body  and  let  it,  untrammeled  by  the  laws  of  matter,  move 
from  place  to  place,  still  retaining  the  same  form  and  ability  to  speak  and 
act.  Whether  this  is  so  or  not  I  cannot  say,  but  this  I  know,  that  "there 
a  -e  more  things  in  heaven  and  earth  than  art 
dreamed  of  in  our  philosophy." 

What  luxuries  one  may  enjoy  here  in  the  mosi 
pleasant  company, —  a  glorious  nature,  palatial 
residences,  choice  fruits,  dishes  and  wines,  pleas 
ures  of  all  kinds,  surrounded  by  a  host  ol  servants, 
who,  in  snow-white  garments  and  with  bare 
feet,  noiselessly  and  swiftly  move  about  in  order 
to  gratify  one's  desires  upon  the  slightest  sign, — 
and  still  how  I  long  for  the  home  in  the  North, 
with  the  cool  winds  and  frost  and  snow  which 
quicken  the  blood,  give  appetite,  and  fill  one  with 
a  feeling  of  surging  vitality  and  energy,  unknown 
in  the  enervating  climates  of  the  South. 

From  my  veranda  I  see  a  crowd  of  people  on 
the  street  who  seem  to  pay  homage  to  some  one. 
It  proves  to  be  an  idiotic  begger,  Sobulla.  The 
Hindoos  believe  that  when  a  person  has  lost  his 
reason  he  is  filled  with  the  spirit  of  God,  and 
hence  they  always  treat  the  insane  with  respect 
and  tender  care. 

This   April  heat  makes  it  easy  to  realize    the 
SOBULLA,  AN  IDIOT.     Hindoo   proverb,  which  says:     " Never  run  when 
you  may  walk,  never  walk  when  you  may  stand  still,  never  stand  when 
you  may  sit,  never  sit  when  you  may  l.e  down." 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


The  Women  of  India—  The  Widows—  The  American  Zenana—  Prizes  Awarded 
in  a  Girl's  School  —  Annandabai  Joshee  —  Her  Visit  to  America  —  Reports 
to  the  Government—  Departure  from  India—  Burmah—  Ceylon—  Arabia- 
Cairo. 


From  our  point  of  view  the  social  condition  of  women 
in  India  is  highly  deplorable.  The  women  are  not  regarded 
as  the  equals  of  men,  but  rather  as  an  appendix  to  them. 
Their  religion  teaches  that  they  have  no  acknowledged  rights 
as" individuals,  and  that  the  only  happiness  they  can  attain 
in  this  world  and  in  the  world  to  come  is  to  become  wives 
and  mothers  of  men,  and  that  the  more  a  woman  sacrifices 
herself  for  man  the  greater  will  be  her  reward  in  the  future. 
If  the  man  to  whom  she  is  married  dies,  the  remainder  of  her 
life  is  full  of  sorrow  and  suffering,  and  it  is  only  in  the  life 
hereafter  that  she  can  expect  any  happiness,  and  that  by  be 
ing  reunited  with  him. 

This  belief  gave  rise  to  the  so-called  "sati,"  or  the  custom 
to  burn  the  wife  on  her  deceased  husband's  pyre  in 
order  that  she  might  at  once  be  reunited  with  him  and 
enjoy  salvation  through  him.  ''Sati "  is  now  prohibited  by 
the  English  government,  but  every  widow  in  India  is  still 
doomed  to  a  life  of  misery  and  degradation. 

When  we  consider  that  polygamy  is  practiced  to  a  very 
large  extent  among  the  rich  «so  that  a  man  is  allowed  to 

261 


2G2 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


have  any  number  of  wives,  and  may  keep  on  taking  new 
wives  as  long  as  he  lives,  it  may  easily  be  understood  what 
a  great  number  of  widows  there  must  be.  There  is  an  old 
man,  for  example,  who  dies  and  leaves  many  widows  of  dif 
ferent  ages,  some  of  them  only  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  none 
of  whom  are  allowed  to  marry  a  second  time.  They  are  de 
prived  of  all  ornaments,  and  compelled  to  wear  a  very  coarse, 
plain  dress,  to  live  on  the  plainest  food,  and  work  hard  for 
the  man  who  inherits  the  property  of  the  deceased  husband, 
and  who  is  generally  his  brother  or  his  son.  This  is  the  rea 
son  that  rich  families  have  a  large  number  of  women  in  all 
ranks  and  conditions,  from  the  mistress  of  the  house,  which 
position  is  held  by  the  husband's  mother,  to  the  humblest 
servant  woman.  The  education  of  women  is  prohibited; 
hence  they  are  very  much  like  children,  playing  with  their 
dolls,  jewels  and  other  toys,  and  having  no  higher  idea  of 


MISSION   HOME   AND   SCHOOL. 


life  :'n  general  than  what  they  have  been  taught  in  the  nurs 
ery.  It  is  rather  fortunate,  therefore,  that  these  lamentable 
victims  of  prejudice  live  in  ignorance,  as  long  as  the  present 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  263 

condition  exists,  for  otherwise  their  life  would  be  still  more 
miserable. 

In  the  course  of  the  last  few  years  missionaries  from  Europe 
and  America  have  opened  schools  for  the  education  of  girls. 
The  most  prominent  of  these  is  located  in  Calcutta,  and  has 
many  branches  in  other  parts  of  India.  It  is  called  "the 
American  Zenana,"  or  ladies'  mission,  and  during  my  stay  in 
India  it  was  managed  by  a  Miss  Hook,  a  very  estimable 
lady  of  Danish  descent,  the  fruits  of  whose  noble  work  will 
be  of  incalculable  value  to  future  millions  of  Hindoo  women. 

At  an  examination  in  this  school  I  had  the  honor  of  distrib 
uting  the  prizes,  consisting  of  five  hundred  American  dolls 
sent  by  Cyrus  Field  of  New  York.  The  recipients  were  the 
most  dainty  and  pretty  little  girls  one  could  see.  I  wish  I 
could  describe  this  festivity.  I  sat  on  the  platform  in  the 
great  hall  with  Miss  Hook  to  the  right,  a  pundit  or  learned 
Brahmin  to  the  left,  and  surrounded  by  the  American  and 
native  teachers  and  some  American  tourists.  The  immense 
hall  might  be  compared  with  a  beautiful  flower  terrace  alive 
with  different  colors,  every  little  girl  shining  like  a  pretty 
flower  in  her  red,  green,  white,  blue  or  purple  dress,  her  pret 
ty  black  hair  sparkling  with  gold  and  silver  ornaments  or 
jewels.  They  were  all  listening  with  close  attention  until 
their  names  were  called,  when  they  modestly,  their  faces 
beaming  with  joy,  stepped  up  to  receive  the  pretty  dolls  sent 
by  the  generous  American. 

At  first  these  schools  met  with  bitter  opposition  on  the 
part  of  the  better  classes  of  natives,  but  these  prejudices 
gradually  died  away,  and  at  present  the  mission  schools 
are  not  subject  to  either  persecution  or  ill-will. 

One  day  in  February,  1883,  I  received  a  visit  at  my  home 
by  a  Brahmin  of  the  highest  class,  accompanied  by  his  young 
wife  and  her  little  sister.  Her  name  was  Annandabai 
Joshee.  Her  husband  was  postmaster  in  the  old  Danish  city 


264 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


Serampoor.  lie  was  a  highly  educated  man,  about  forty 
years  of  age,  with  fine,  affable  manners.  His  wife  was 
nineteen  years  old,  and  they  had  been  married  nine  years. 

With  the  exception  of  the 
queen  of  Kutch  Behar  and  a 
few  in  the  Zenana  mission, 
she  was  the  first  educated 
Hindoo  woman  that  I  had 
met.  Her  husband  had 
given  her  an  excellent  edu 
cation. 

Their  errand  was  to  con 
sult  me  and,  if  possible,  ob 
tain  my  assistance  in  a 
matter  of  the  greatest  im 
portance  to  the  women  of 
India.  The  young  woman 
had  reflected  somewhat  in 
this  manner:  " Since  I 
have  acquired  education, 
and  the  same  amount  of 
knowledge  as  a  man,  why 
may  not  other  women  in 
ANNADABAI  JOSHES.  India  do  the  same?  In 

America  many  women  are  renowned  for  their  great  learning, 
and  many  of  them  are  doctors  of  medicine.  The  women  of 
India  are  not  allowed  to  be  visited  by  any  man  except  their 
husband,  and  as  all  our  physicians  are  men,  who  cannot  see 
and  carefully  examine  their  female  patients,  they  cannot,  of 
course,  prescribe  proper  treatment  for  them;  hence  mam^ 
women  in  India  must  suffer  and  die  without  a  remedy,  which 
often  could  be  avoided  if  women  studied  medicine.  If 
American  women  can  become  physicians,  then  I  can,  and  I 
have  decided  to  go  to  America  and  enter  the  female  medical 


STORY  OF  AX  EMIGRANT.  265 

'college  in  Philadelphia  and  study  for  the  degree  of  doctor  of 
medicine,  and  then  return  to  India  and  do  good  among  my 
"countrywomen,  and  disprove  the  false  doctrine  which  keeps 
^Hindoo  women  in  ignorance  and  degradation."  Her  hus- 
;  band  was  very  enthusiastic  for  her  plan,  and,  being  rich, 
.was  also  able  to  assist  her  in  carrying  it  out  if  I  would 
-  favor  it  and  contribute  toward  its  realization  by  reason  of 
.  the  influence  my  official  position  gave. 

A  few  weeks  later,  the  noble  minded  little  Brahmin  wo 
man  was  on  her  way  across  the  great  ocean  to  that  country 
where  not  only  man  but  also  woman  enjoys  a  free  exist 
ence.  She  carried  official  letters  from  me  to  all  American 
authorities  with  which  she  might  come  in  contact,  also  to 
the  mayor  of  Philadelphia,  and  to  the  state  department  at 
Washington.  Before  leaving  Calcutta  she  delivered  an  ex 
tempore  address  before  a  large  audience  at  the  University 
of  Serampoor,  of  which  address  I  have  made  the  following 
extracts : 

''I  am  asked  hundreds  of  questions  about  my  going  to 
America.  I  take  this  opportunity  to  answer  some  of  them. 
I  go  to  America  because  I  wish  to  study  medicine.  I  now 
address  the  ladies  present  here,  who  will  be  the  better  judg 
es  of  the  importance  of  female  medical  assistance  in  India. 
I  never  consider  this  subject  without  being  impressed  that 
none  of  those  societies  so  laudably  established  in  India  for 
the  promotion  of  science  and  female  education  have  ever 
thought  of  sending  one  of  their  female  members  into  the 
more  civilized  parts  of  the  world  to  procure  thorough  medi 
cal  knowledge,  in  order  to  open  here  a  college  for  the  in 
struction  of  women  in  medicine.  The  want  of  female 
physicians  in  India  is  keenly  felt  in  every  quarter.  Ladies, 
both  European  and  native,  are  naturally  averse  to  expose 
themselves  in  cases  of  emergency  to  treatment  by  doctors 
of  the  other  sex.  There  are  some  female  doctors  in  India 


266  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

from  Europe  and  America,  who,  being  foreigners,  and  dif 
ferent  in  manners, customs  and  language,  have  not  been  of  such 
use  to  our  women  as  they  might.  As  it  is  very  natural  that 
Hindoo  ladies  who  love  their  ownconntry  and  people  should 
not  feel  at  home  with  the  natives  of  the  other  countries,  we 
Indian  women  absolutely  derive  no  benefit  from  these  for 
eign  ladies.  They  indeed  have  the  appearance  of  supplying 
our  need,  but  the  appearance  is  delusive.  In  my  humble 
opinion  there  is  a  growing  need  for  Hindoo  lady  doctors  in 
India,  and  I  volunteer  to  qualify  myself  for  one. 

Are  there  no  means  to  study  in  India?  I  do  not  mean  to 
say  there  are  no  means,  but  the  difficulties  are  many  and 
great.  There  is  one  college  at  Madras,  and  midwifery  class 
es  are  open  in  all  the  presidencies;  but  the  education  im 
parted  is  defective  and  insufficient,  as  the  instructors  are 
conservative,  and  to  some  extent  jealous.  I  do  not  find  fault 
with  them.  That  is  the  character  of  the  male  sex.  We 
must  put  up  with  this  inconvenience  until  we  have  a  class  of 
educated  ladies  to  relieve  these  men.  I  am  neither  a  Chris 
tian  nor  a  Brahmin.  To  continue  to  live  as  a  Hindoo,  and 
go  to  school  in  any  part  of  India,  is  very  difficult.  A  con 
vert  who  wears  an  English  dress  is  not  so  mrch  stared  at. 
Native  Christian  ladies  are  free  from  the  opposition  or  pub 
lic  scandal  which  Hindoo  ladies  like  myself  have  to  meet 
within  and  without  the  Zenana.  If  1  go  alone  by  train  or 
in  the  street  some  people  cone  near  to  stare  and  ask  im 
pertinent  questions  to  annoy  me.  Example  is  better  than 
precept.  Some  few  years  ago.  when  I  was  in  Bombay,  I  used 
to  go  to  school.  When  people  saw  me  going  with  my  books 
in  my  hand  they  had  the  goodness  to  put  their  heads  out 
of  the  window  just  to  have  a  look  at  me.  Some  stopped 
their  carriages  for  the  purpose.  Others  walking  in  the 
streets  stood  laughing,  and  crying  out  so  that  I  could  hear: 
•'  What  is  this?  Who  is  this  lady  who  is  going  to  school 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  267 

with  boots  and  stockings  on?  *'  Does  not  this  show  that 
the  Kali  Ugla  has  stamped  its  character  on  the  minds  of  the 
people?  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  you  can  easily  imagine  what 
effect  questions  like  this  would  have  on  your  minds  if  you 
had  been  in  my  place ! 

Once  it  happened  that  I  was  obliged  to  stay  in  school  for 
some  time,  and  go  twice  a  day  for  my  meals  to  the  house  oi' 
a  relative.  Passers-by,  whenever  they  saw  me  going,  gath 
ered  round  me.  Some  of  them  made  fun  and  were  convulsed 
with  laughter.  Others,  sitting  respectably  on  their  veran 
das,  made  ridiculous  remarks,  and  did  not  feel  ashamed  to 
throw  pebbles  at  me.  The  shop-keepers  and  venders  spit  at 
the  sight  of  me,  and  made  gestures  too  indecent  to  describe. 
I  leave  it  to  you  to  imagine  what  was  my  condition  at  such 
time,  and  how  I  could  gladly  have  burst  through  the  crowd 
to  make  my  home  nearer. 

Yet  the  boldness  of  my  Bengali  brethren  cannot  be  exceded, 
and  is  still  more  serious  to  contemplate  than  the  instances 
I  have  given  from  Bombay.  Surely  it  deserves  pity.  If  I 
go  to  take  a  walk  on  the  strand,  Englishmen  are  not  so  bold 
as  to  look  at  me.  Even  the  soldiers  are  never  troublesome, 
but  the  Baboo  boys*  have  their  levity  by  making  fun  of  every 
thing.  "  Who  are  you?  "  "What  caste  do  you  belong  to?  " 
"Whence  do  you  come  ?  "  "  Where  do  you  go  ?  " — are  in  my 
opinion,  questions  that  should  not  be  asked  by  strangers. 
There  are  some  educated  native  Christians  here  in  Serampoor 
who  are  suspicious ;  they  are  still  wondering  whether  I  am 
married  or  a  widow;  a  woman  of  bad  character  or  excom 
municated.  Dear  audience,  does  it  become  m}'  native  and 
Christian  brethren  to  be  so  uncharitable?  Certainly  not. 
I  place  these  unpleasant  things  before  you  that  those  whom 
they  concern  mo  ;t  may  rectify  them,  and  that  those  who 

•Hdncated  Hindoo  of  the  middle  class. 


2G8  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

nave  never  thought  of  the  difficulties  may  see  that  I  am  not 
going  to  America  through  any  whim  or  caprice. 

Shall  I  not  be  excommunicated   when  I  return   to  India? 

Do  yon  think  I  should  be  filled  with  consternation   at  this 

.threat  ?    I  do  not  fear  it  in  the  least.    Why  should  I  be  cast 

out,  when  I  have  determined  to  live  there  exactly  as  I  do 

'here?    I  propose  to  myself  to  make  no  change  in  my  customs 

and  manners,  food  or  dress.    I  will  go  as  a  Hindoo   and 

come  back  here  to  live  as  a  Hindoo.    I  will  not  increase  my 

wants,  but  be  as  plain  and  simple  as  my  forefathers,  and  as 

I  am  now.    If  my  countrymen  wish  to  excommunicate  me, 

why  do  they  not  do  it  now?    They  are  at  liberty  to  do  so." 

After  my  return  to  America  I  visited  her  twice  at  the  med 
ical  college  in  Philadelphia,  where  she  became  everybody's 
favorite,  being  one  of  the  best  students  that  ever  crossed  the 
threshhold  of  the  institution.  She  did  not  renounce  her  re 
ligion  or  her  habits  of  life,  but  observed  all  of  these  strictly. 
After  three  years  of  hard  study  she  passed  her  examination 
with  high  standing,  and  practiced  a  few  months  in  Ameri 
can  hospitals,  but  she  gradually  succumbed  to  the  dread 
disease,  pulmonary  consumption,  and  returned  to  India  af 
ter  an  absence  of  four  years,  only  to  die  in  Poonah,  the  city 
where  her  ancestors  had  lived  as  highly  respectable  people 
for  two  thousand  years  past.  She  left  India  with  the  curse 
of  the  Brahmins  on  her  head,  but  returned  as  the  idol  of  her 
people.  Thousands  upon  thousands  crowded  around  her 
home,  almost  worshiping  the  frail,  noble  being  whose  youth- 
.ful  life  was  slowly  ebbing  away. 

Strange  are  the  ways  of  Providence.  When  Rev.  Dr.  Fjell- 
stedt  kindled  a  desire  to  see  India  in  the  bosom  of  the  young 
country  boy,  who  could  then  have  guessed  that  this  boy  was 
to  become  a  medium  to  assist  that  Brahmin  woman  who 
was  destined  to  be  the  first  one  of  the  millions  of  India  to 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  263 

clear  the  way  to  education  and  liberty  for  her  unfortunate 
sisters ! 

Besides  my  report  on  wheat  culture  I  sent  numerous  of 
ficial  reports  to  our  government  on  different  industries,  and 
other  matters  in  India,  such  as  tea  culture,  the  decline  of 
American  shipping  in  Asia,  the  railroads,  the  population  of 
India,  our  commercial  relations  with  India,  etc.  These  re 
ports  attracted  such  attention  in  Washington  that  during 
the  month  of  February,  1883,  I  received  orders  from  the 
state  department  to  make  a  tour  of  inspection  to  those 
provinces  and  cities  which  belonged  to  my  district  and  re 
port  to  the  government  anything  of  national  interest. 
Shortly  after  receiving  this  order,  which  was  accompanied 
by  a  leave  of  absence  for  six  months,  I  also  received  a  cable 
gram  from  Holland  offering  me  the  position  of  managing 
American  director  of  the  Maxwell  Land  Grant  Company  in 
New  Mexico,  whereof  more  hereafter. 

On  the  12th  of  April  I  turned  over  all  my  official  affairs  to 
the  vice-consul,  Mr.  C.  C.  Bancroft,  and  took  the  steamer 
Raipatoonahfor  Burmah,  where  I  visited  the  most  important 
seaports,  Rangoon,  Mulmain,  and  Akjab.  Buddhism  is  there 
the  prevailing  religion,  and  the  caste  system,  such  as  is  found 
among  the  Hindoos,  is  unknown.  The  people  are  more 
prosperous.  The  city  of  Rangoon  has,  among  other  nota 
ble  objects,  a  celebrated  Buddhist  pagoda,  the  great  dome  of 
which  is  covered  with  solid  gold  plate.  The  pagoda  is  sit 
uated  on  a  high  elevation  above  the  city,  and  the  dome  is 
one  of  the  most  notable  and  costly  works  of  architecture  in 
the  world.  It  is  visible  at  a  great  distance  out  on  the  ocean, 
and  when  the  tropical  sun  throws  its  rays  on  it,  it  looks  like 
a  flame  offire,  whose  splendor  is  too  dazzling  for  the  eyes  to 
endure. 

At  a  dinner  party  arranged  for  me  by  the  American  con 
sul  at  Rangoon,  I  met  many  of  the  prominent  men  in  this 


270 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


city.  Among  these  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  one  Mr. 
Allen,  who,  late  in  the  evening,  at  a  game  of  whist,  informed 
me  that  he  had  on  that  day  been  engaged  in  the  trial  of  a 
Birmese  prince  accused  of  murder,  and  that  he  should  pro 
nounce  sentence  the  following  day.  I  could  see  that  he  had 
already  made  up  his  mind;  still  he  politely  asked  me  a  few 
questions  on  international  law  with  reference  to  the  trial. 
The  next  day  the  prince  was  sentenced  to  death  because  he 
had  violated  the  law  of  the  land,  which  seems  to  prove  that 
the  English  administration  of  justice  in  Asia  is  no  respecter 
of  persons. 
In  Birmah  elephants  arc  used  for  loading  and  unloading 


ELEPHANTS    t>ILING  TIMBER. 

goods  in  the  harbors.  In  the  city  of  Mulmain  I  saw  some 
of  these  wise  animals  piling  up  heavy  timber  in  a  lumber 
yard.  The  elephant  put  his  tusks  under  the  beam  and  his 
trunk  over  it  and  handled  it  with  great  ease.  Having 
lifted  the  beam  on  the  pile,  he  looked  at  it  carefully  to  see 
if  it  lay  in  right  shape,  and  if  not,  he  would  move  it 
with  his  trunk.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  how  well  these 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


271 


animals  seemed  to  understand  what  their  drivers  said.  If  a 
very  big  log  could  not  be  moved  in  the  usual  manner  he 
would  roll  it  with  his  feet  or  shove  it  with  his  head,  or  even 
put  a  chain  around  it  and  pull  it  along,  and  all  this  at  the 
command  of  the  driver  who  remained  sitting  on  the  head  of 
the  animal. 

On  April  25  I  again  embarked,  this  time  on  the  steamer 
Asia,  sailing  across  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and  arrived  on  the 
first  day  of  May  at  the 
seaport,  Bimlipatam,  on 
the  Madras  coast.  It 
was  a  pleasant  city  of 
white  houses,  and  situ 
ated  at  the  foot  of  a  high 

o 

volcano.  Here  I  saw  for 
the  first  time  the  notori 
ous  car  of  Juggernaut,  in 
which  the  ima^e  of  the 
god  is  dragged  through 
the  streets.  The  car  is 
of  stupendous  size,  and 
rests  on  sixteen  wheels. 
Thousands  of  pilgrims 
followed  the  car,  and 
formerly  many  of  the 
worshipers  used  to 

throw  themselves  under  THE  CAR  OF  JUGGERNAUT. 

the  wheels  in  order  to  be  crushed  to  death ;  but  this  bar 
baric  custom  has  been  prohibited  by  the  English  govern- 
ment.  The  idol  of  Juggernaut  is  regarded  as  very  sacred, 
for  according  to  tradition  it  contains  a  bone  of  Krishna, 
the  Hindoo  Apollo,  one  of  the  ten  incarnations  or  manifesta 
tions  of  the  god  Vishnu.  This  relic  worship,  which  is  otherwise 
unknown  to  the  orthodox  Hindoo  faith,  is  a  remnant  of 


272  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

Buddhism,  which  formerly  prevailed  throughout  the  whole 
province  of  Orisa. 

On  the  second  day  we  arrived  at  Kokonada,  where  a 
flotilla  of  nearly  one  hundred  short-masted  sailing  vessels  of 
native  construction  after  having  received  their  cargoes  lay 
waiting  for  us.  Again  we  steamed  away  along  the  coast, 
stopping  at  the  seaports  Kalingapatam,  Vizagapatam. 
Masulipatam,  and  finally  arrived  at  Madras,  on  the  fifth  of 


BUDDHA    TEMPLE    AT    CEYLON. 

May.  This  is  one  of  the  handsomest  cities  in  Asia.  It  is 
situated  near  the  equator,  so  that  it  is  very  hot  there;  but 
the  fresh  ocean  breezes  cool  the  air  in  the  afternoon,  and 
maVe  the  temperature  particularly  delightful. 

On  the  10th  of  May  I  left  with  the  steamer  Assam  for 
Ceylon,  and  arrived  at  Colombo,  the  principal  city  and  har 
bor  on  this  island,  on  the  13th.  Ceylon  is  called  the  pearl  of 
of  Asia,  and  justly  so.  I  remained  there  two  days,  in  the 
company  of  the  American  consul,  and  visited  the  cinnamon 
groves,  the  Buddhistic  cemples,  and  other  objects  of  interest. 


STORY  OF  AN  IMMIGRANT.  27 1! 

Along  the  coast  south  of  Colombo  is  a  drive-way  for  several 
miles,  passing  through  groves  of  cinnamon  and  other  spice- 
trees  which  fill  the  air  with  fragrance.  Thete  are  also  arti 
ficial  lakes,  canals,  parks  and  flower  gardens  in  endless  p  o- 
fusion;  in  a  word,  this  place  is  one  of  the  most  delightful 
spots  I  have  ever  seen. 

The  Egyptian  patriot  Arabi  Pasha  was  recently  banished 
to  this  island  on  account  of  his  taking  such  a  prominent  part 
in  the  late  rebellion  in  iigvpt.  I  drove  out  to  his  fine  resi 
dence  located  near  the  sea,  and  found  him  to  be  a  very 
pleasant  and  highly  educated  man,  who  spoke  English  fluent 
ly,  and  with  whpm  I  soon  became  on  friendly  terms  on  ac 
count  of  my  sympathy  for  the  Egyptian  people. 

Ceylon  is  the  centre  of  modern  Buddhism  in  India.  The 
temples  of  the  Buddhists  are  very  interesting  to  see.  Man}' 
of  their  priests  are  men  of  learning  and  culture.  I  spent  a 
few  hours  with  them,  and  received  much  attention  on  their 
part  on  account  of  my  being  a  representative  of  America. 
There  is  an  old  tradition  among  the  Hindoos  that  the  gar 
den  of  Eden  was  situated  on  the  island  of  Ceylon.  The 
Hindoo  narrative  of  the  fall  of  man  has  many  features  in 
common  with  the  biblical  narrative,  but  with  this  difference: 
that  Adam,  being  reproached  for  his  sins,  did  not,  according 
to  the  Hindoo  legend,  put  the  -blame  on  Eve,  but  took  it  all 
on  himself,  and  said  that  he  alone  was  to  blame,  and  that 
the  woman  should  not  be  cursed.  It  is  further  told  that 
when  they  were  expelled  from  paradise  they  turned  their 
course  north  ward,  and  when  they  came  to  the  shallow  water 
which  separates  Ceylon  from  the  main  land  of  Asia,  Adam 
took  Eve  in  his  arms  and  carried  her  across 

Having  remained  two  days  at  this  delightful  place  we  em 
barked  again,  and  on  the  20th  of  May  we  were  steaming 
along  the  coast  of  Arabia,  being  within  sight  of  land  the 
whole  morning.  In  my  note-book  I  find  the  following  lines 


274  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

for  this  day:  " Under  thick  canvass  there  is  a  strangely 
mixed  crowd  of  people  on  the  half-deck,  gathered  for  divine 
worship,  and  when  they  closed  the  same  by  singing: 

'O,  hear  us  as  we  cry  to  Thee 
For  those  in  peril  on  the  sea,1 

the  voices  of  Mohammedans,  Jews,  Buddhists  and  Brahmins 
from  a  dozen  different  countries  were  blended  with  those  of 
the  Christians." 

We  spent  the  22d  of  May  in  the  city  of  Aden,  in  South 
Arabia.  This  place  is  hot  and  dreary.  Accompanied  by  one 
of  my  fellow-passengers  I  took  a  ride  on  camel-back  through 
the  desert  to  the  celebrated  water  reservoirs.  It  seldom 
rains  more  than  once  in  every  three  years  at  this  place.  To 
preserve  the  water  that  falls  on  these  occasions  the  Arabi 
ans  have  built  a  series  of  cisterns,  or  large  reservoirs,  for  the 
water  along  the  foot  of  a  mountain.  These  cisterns  are 
made  with  great  architectural  skill ;  they  are  built  of  stone 
and  cement,  and  are  much  more  compact  and  durable  than 
similar  works  of  modern  times.  Water  is  a  great  luxury  in 
Southern  Arabia,  and  it  is  customary  to  offer  the  driver  a 
drink  of  water  for  his  camel  or  horse  as  an  encourage 
ment  to  drive  a  little  faster  or  to  show  him  a  favor.  At  the 
same  time  the  driver  does  not  object  to  a  tip,  which  in  ori 
ental  countries  is  called,  as  in  E°ypt,  "backshish,"  an  ex 
pression  with  which  every  traveler  soon  becomes  familiar. 

From  Aden  we  had  a  pleasant  voyage  up  the  Red  sea  to 
Suez.  The  cholera  was,  so  to  speak,  in  the  air,  and  our 
steamer  was  the  last  one  which  escaped  quarantine.  From 
Suez  I  traveled  in  company  with  some  other  passengers  by 
rail  to  Cairo.  We  stopped  an  hour  at  the  little  city  Ism ailia, 
which  is  situated  on  the  canal,  and  is  a  fine  place,  noted  es 
pecially  for  the  great  fete  given  by  Count  F.  de  Lesseps  at 
the  opening  of  the  Suez  canal,  for  which  occasion  a  fine  pal 
ace  was  built  for  the  accommodation  of  Empress  Eugenie  of 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  275 

France.  On  the  way  to  Cairo  we  passed  through  the  valley 
which  in  the  bible  is  called  Goshen,  and  which  Pharaoh 
gave  to  the  brothers  of  Joseph  to  live  in,  and  where  the 
brick  yards  are  located  in  which  the  Israelites  were  com 
pelled  to  make  brick  without  straw  and  oppressed  in  dif 
ferent  ways  by  their  task-masters. 

During  the  day  I  had  occasion  to  see  a  portion  of  the 
canal  "Bahr  Jussuf,"  or  Joseph's  canal,  a  masterwork  some 
four  thousand  years  old,  which  the  legend  ascribes  to  Jo 
seph,  and  which  still  proves  what  a  blessing  this  man  con 
ferred  upon  the  people  of  Egypt,  not  only  by  warding  off  the 
dread  famine,  but  also  by  executing  many  great  and  useful 
works.  The  canal  began  at  Siut,  on  the  Nile,  and  mean 
dered  through  the  valley  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  for  a. 
distance  of  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  until  its  lev 
el  was  so  far  above  that  of  the  river  that  its  waters  could  be 
carried  westward  into  the  province  of  Fajuin,  and  change  its 
formerly  sterile  soil  into  the  richest  and  most  fertile  fields. 


CFAPTEK  XXVII. 

Cairo— Cbeop's  Pyramid— Yen ici — T.ie  St.  Gotthard  Tunnel— On  the  Rhine 
— Visit  in  Holland  and  England — Father  Nugent — Arrival  at  New  York. 


The  train  has  stopped,  and  we  are  in  Cairo,  the  capital  of 
Egypt.  The  beautiful,  the  joyous,  the  memorable  Cairo, 
with  its  gorgeous  mosques,  its  half  mystic,  half  historical 
monuments,  its  narrow  streets,  and  a  life,  a  commotion  and 
an  oriental  splendor  strongly  reminding  one  of  the  legends 
"One  Thousand  and  One  Nights."  In  company  with  a  friend 
from  America  I  visited  the  principal  mosques,  bazars,  parks 
and  other  places  of  interest,  and  the  next  day  we  drove  out 
to  the  great  Cheop's  pyramid,  which  is  located  about  eight 
miles  from  the  city.  Here  I  again  met  with  a  monument  of 
antiquity  which  filled  me  with  wonder  and  admiration.  The 
pyramid  of  Cheops  was  built  before  the  birth  of  Moses, — yes, 
before  Jacob  came  down  with  his  sons  to  Egypt, — and  it  is 
possible  that  Joseph  pointed  out  the  same  to  his  aged  father 
as  a  proof  of  the  greatness  of  the  country  and  its  resources. 

According  to  Herodotus  one  hundred  and  twenty  thou 
sand  men  were  occupied  twenty  yearsinbuildingit.  Itsbase 
covers  about  eleven  acres,  and  its  height  is  about  four  hun 
dred  and  eighty  feet.  One  can  get  an  approximate  idea  of 
the  enormous  mass  of  material  in  it,  wrhen  it  is  calculated 
that  it  contains  stone  enough  to  build  a  wall  one  and  a-half 
fjet  thick  and  ten  feet  high  around  all  England, — a  distance  of 
nearly  nine  hundred  miles. 

276 


278 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


The  renowned  Sphinx  is  hewn  out  of  the  solid  rock.  It  is 
n  a  reclining  position,  and,  although  partly  buried  by  sand, 
I  could  easily  trace  its  back  for  a  distance  of  thirty  paces. 

At  the  foot  of  the  pyramid  I  met  an  Arabian  chief,  a  gest 
ure  from  whom  showed  me  that  he  belonged  to  the  mystic- 
brotherhood  of  Free  Masons,  which  gave  rise  to  warm  hand 
shaking,  and  an  interesting  conversation  through  the  aid  oi 
my  interpreter.  In  pressing  the  hand  of  this  son  of  the  desert 
sighing  under  despotism,  and  reading  the  feelings  of  his 
heart  through  the  wrinkles  of  his  face,  while  he  talked  of  the 
great  country  in  the  W^st,  whence  I  came,  and  whose  free 
institutions,  granting  equal  rights  to  all,  were  to  him  a 


THE    PYRAMIDS    AND    THE    SPHINX. 

heavenly  light  pointing  forward  and  upward,  I  felt  more  deep 
ly  than  ever  belore  what  a  blessing  it  is  to  be  a  citizen  of  a 
commonwealth  where  a  man  is  measured,  not  by  his  birth 
or  his  wealth,  but  by  his  own  personal  merits. 

Returning  to  Cairo  the  remainder  of  the  day  was  spent  in 
the  Boulak  museum,  among  the  most  wonderful  antiquities 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


279 


of  the  world.  Shortly  before  there  had  been  discovered  in 
the  Nubian  hills,  beneath  the  temple  Dayr-el-Baheree,  a 
burial  place  containing  the  bodies  of  the  old  Egyptian  kings. 
These  had  been  brought  to  Cairo,  where  a  separate  wing  of 
of  the  museum  had  been  opened  for  their  keeping,  and  there 
they  lay  in  their  coffins  in  a  fine  state  of  preservation,  owing 
to  the  Egyptian  method  of  embalming.  There  were  the  very 
men  \vho  built  the  pyramids;  there  was  Amases  I.,  the 
founder  of  the  new  empire,  Thotrnes  III.,  the  great  Sethi  I., 


RAMSES  II.,   WHEN   YOUNG. 


and  his  famous  son  Ramses  II.,  and  that   Pharaoh   who   is 
supposed  to  have  brought  up  Moses;  there  was  also  his 


2SO 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


daughter    Mirrhis,   who    afterward  became  his  queen,   tl.  j 
same  who  found  Moses  as  an  infant  floating  in  the  Nile. 

Their  bodies — yes,  even  their  features — were  well  preserved. 
They  lie  in  coffins  of  wood,  which  show  skilled  workmanship, 
the  corners  being  cardully  dovetailed  together.  Even  the'  • 
sin ouds  and  ornaments  oi  flowcis  and  herbs  show  plainl  ' 


RAMSES 


that  the  st^de  of  dressing  the  dead  among  the  Egyptians 
four  thousand  years  ago  was  very  much  the  same  as  it  is 
now  \\ith  us. 

When  I  stood  among  the  ruins  of  Pomneii  or  of  the  tower 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


281 


Sarnath,  the  home  of  Buddha,  I  thought  nothing  could  be 
more  wonderful  and  awe-inspiring  than  those  hoary  monu 
ments;  but  here  lay  before  my  eyes  the  very  man  who  for 
many  years  was  a  friend  and  protector  of  Moses,  with  his 
wonderful,  commanding  features  and  eagle  nose,  his  long 
dark  hair,  which  lay  in  thick  folds  under  his  neck.  The  arms, 
rings,  jewels  and  other  ornaments  worn  by  those  kings  and 
their  queens,  formed  part  of  this  wonderful  collection,  and, 


NILE   BOAT. 

by  their  skillful  workmanship,  showed  the  high   degree  of 
civilization  of  the  ancient  Egyptians. 

The  following  day  I  took  the  train  for  Alexandria.  The 
railroad  follows  the  river  Nile  in  its  general  course.  The 
valley  is  densely  populated,  and  wretched  mud  houses  and 
villages  appear  in  every  direction.  The  cholera  had  now 
broken  out  in  its  most  deadly  form,  and  we  saw  many  dead 
and  dying  at  the  stations.  The  steamer  Tanjore  lay  ready 
to  sail  for  Europe,  and  I  was  soon  comfortably  quartered  in 
one  of  its  spacious  cabins. 


282 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


On  Sunday,  June  3d,  a  beautiful  Italian  day,  as  we  were 
rapidly  steaming  north  through  the  Adriatic  sea,  we  could 
see  the  coast  of  Greece  to  the  right  and  that  of  Italy  to  the 
left.  We  arrived  at  Brindisi  the  same  afternoon,  and  at 
Venice  two  days  later.  Surely  the  beauties  of  nature  and  of 
art  that  meet  the  eye  in  this  lovely  city  seem  to  be  the  climax 
of  everything  beautiful  on  earth,  and,  quietly  gliding  forward 
during  many  hours  through  numerous  canals  in  a  halt- 
dreamy,  hall-waking  condition,  with  two  silent  gondoliers 


RIAXTO   BRIDGE  IN  VENICE. 


at  the  oars,  I  could  scarcely  realize  whether  this  was  a  beau 
tiful  dream,  an  illusion,  or  reality. 

The  next  morning,  accompanied  by  an  interpreter,  I  walked 
through  St.  Mark's  square,  carefully  studying  its  many 
wonderful  attractions,  its  splendid  shops,  the  clock,  the 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  283 

thousands  of  tame  doves,  the  belfry  of  St.  Mark's,  the  pal 
ace  of  the  Doges,  the  marble  pillars  of  the  winged  lions,  and 
finally,  the  most  remarkable  of  all,  the  wonderful  church 
with  its  irregular,  yet  harmonious,  unique  and  impressive 
architecture.  In  the  church  were  seen  ordinary  visitors 
roaming  about  under  the  domes,  humble  worshipers  count 
ing  their  beads  and  rosaries,  closely-shaved  monks  and  royal 
officers  with  clanging  sabres,  and  artists  busy  with  their 
studies. 

With  a  shudder  I  crossed  the  Bridge  of  Sighs,  with  its  hor 
rid  associations,  and  spent  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  the  dark 
dungeons  to  which  it  leads,  and  in  which  so  many  poor 
mortals,  prisoners  often  without  accusers  and  guiltless  of 
crime,  had  sighed  and  suffered  through  the  cruelties  of  man 
to  man,  well  knowing  that  when  they  crossed  that  bridge 
into  the  dungeon,  they  had  left  all  earthly  hope  behind. 

In  Venice  I  parted  with  my  American  companion,  Mr. 
Robins,  in  whose  company  I  had  traveled  all  the  wa\^  from 
Madras. 

Having  promised  to  be  in  Holland  at  an  early  day,  I  was 
compelled  to  hurry,  and  left  Venice  on  the  evening  of  the 
second  day.  This  time  I  took  the  route  through  the  St. 
Gotthard  tunnel,  which  is  nine  and  a  half  miles  long,  and 
through  which  it  takes  nearly  half  an  hour  to  pass.  The 
beautiful  lake  Como  and  the  grand  Alpine  scenery  have  been 
so  often  described,  that  I  consider  it  superfluous  to  dwell  on 
them  in  these  pages. 

In  Mayennes  I  left  the  railroad  and  took  the  steamer  down 
the  beautiful  Rhine  to  Cologne,  passing  the  vine-clad  hills 
and  the  mediaeval  castles,  in  delightful  conversation  with 
some  American  and  Swedish  tourists  just  returning  from  the 
German  watering  places. 

From  Cologne  I  traveled  by  rail  to  Rotterdam,  where  I 
arrived  June  9th,  and  met  my  old  friend,  G.  P.  Ittman,  one 


284  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

of  the  men  with  whom  I  formerly  had  business  connections 
concerning  railroad  matters  in  Minnesota.  The  following 
day  he  accompanied  me  to  the  Hague  to  see  Baron  de  Con 
stant  Rebeque,  one  of  those  European  noblemen  who  would 
have  been  a  nobleman  even  if  he  had  been  born  in  a  hut.  He 
was  then  chamberlain  of  the  king,  and  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  Maxwell  Land  Grant  Company,  the  management  of 
which  had  been  offered  to  me  as  already  stated. 

The  next  day  we  all  met  at  the  office  of  the  vice-president 
of  the  compan}',  the  banker  Mr.  W.  F.  Ziegelar.  The  board 
of  directors  held  a  meeting,  at  which  I  was  elected  business 
manager  for  America,  and  it  was  decided  that  Messrs. 
Ziegelar  and  Rebeque  should  meet  me  in  America  a  month 
later,  and  that  all  of  us  should  then  proceed  to  New  Mexico 
to  inspect  the  property  and  investigate  the  economical 
standing  of  the  company,  after  which  I  could  decide  wheth 
er  I  would  accept  the  position  or  not. 

A  few  days  later  Mr.  Ziegelar  accompanied  me  to  London, 
where  one  of  the  directors  and  many  of  the  creditors  of  the 
Maxwell  Company  resided.  Here  I  also  found  some  friends 
from  India,  and  in  their  company  spent  a  couple  of  days  at 
the  beautiful  country  residence  of  an  English  nobleman,  Sir 
Balfour.  Among  the  prominent  and  excellent  men  with 
whom  I  formed  an  acquaintance  at  that  place  was  Maj. 
Horace  Durrant,  formerly  of  the  queen's  hussars,  who  was 
also  largely  interested  in  the  Maxwell  Company,  and  one  of 
the  men  from  different  countries,  nationalities  and  creeds 
who  will  always  live  in  my  memory  like  beaming  stars  on 
life's  varied  journey. 

Soon  afterward  I  renewed  my  acquaintance  with  John 
Ennis  in  Liverpool,  an  Irishman,  and  a  friend  of  mine  for 
more  than  twenty  years.  He  is  a  man  who  is  never  happier 
than  when  he  can  do  someone  a  favor,  and  he  has  had  oc 
casion  to  do  me  manv.  In  the  evening  he  took  me  out  to 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  285 

see  a  sight,  as  he  called  it,  and  truly  a  wonderful  sight  it 
was.  In  a  vacant  space  among  the  back  streets  and  alleys 
of  Liverpool,  near  the  shipping,  stood  ertcted  an  enormous 
tent,  containing  seats  for  three  thousand  people.  My  friend 
Ennis  led  me  through  the  back  entrance  onto  the  platform, 
where  a  few  ladies  and  gentlemen  were  already  seated.  The 
tent  was  lighted  with  gas ;  the  people  were  crowding  in 
to  it  through  half  a  dozen  different  entrances.  I  have  never 
seen  such  a  crowd  before  or  since.  There  were  thieves,  pick 
pockets,  beggars,  prostitutes,  drunkards  and  ragamuffins  of 
both  sexes  and  of  all  ages,  the  very  slums  and  filth  of  that 
great  seaport,  laughing,  shouting,  cursing,  weeping,  and 
noisy  in  every  way. 

Soon  the  great  tent  was  filled,  and  could  contain  no  more. 

Then  a  little  man  appeared  on  the  platform,  whom  Mr. 
Ennis  introduced  to  me  as  the  Rev.  Father  Nugent,  an  Irish 
Catholic  priest,  very  small  in  stature,  but  with  a  coun 
tenance  beaming  with  intelligence  and  benevolence.  He 
stepped  to  the  front,  and  the  moment  he  was  seen  by  the 
vast  audience  order  and  perfect  silence  reigned. 

Here  was  another  Keshub-Chunder-Sen,  but  with  no  new 
religion  or  doctrine  to  advance,  only  re-echoing  what  the 
man  of  Nazareth  had  said  to  the  same  class  of  people  eigh 
teen  centuries  ago.  This  priest  has  done  much  noble  work, 
rescued  many  from  a  life  of  degradation,  brought  up  and 
secured  places  in  America  for  thousands  of  street  gamins  and 
orphans,  and  his  name  is  better  known,  especially  among 
the  English-speaking  Catholics,  than  that  of  any  king  or 
emperor.  And  who  would  not  rather  be  a  Father  Nugent  than 
a  king  ? 

In  the  morning  of  the  fourth  of  July  I  arrived  in  New  York 
city,  and  soon  found  President  Chester  Arthur,  Gen.  Garfield's 
successor,  occupying  rooms  near  my  own  in  the  Fifth  Ave 
nue  hotel.  After  breakfast  I  was  given  an  interview  with 


286  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGFA-T. 

him,  and,  of  course,  was  pleased  to  learn  that  he  had  fol 
lowed  my  little  work  in  India  with  interest,  and  expressed 
much  regret  when  I  informed  him  of  my  intention  to  resign 
at  the  expiration  of  my  leave  of  absence. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

FTomefrom  India— A  Friendly  Reception— Journey  to  New  Mexico— The 
Maxwell  Land  Grant  Company — Renewed  Visits  to  England  and  Hol 
land — Re-elected  Secretary  of  State — Visit  of  the  Swedish  Officers  in 
Minneapolis  and  St.  Paul — Two  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of 
the  Landing  of  the  First  Swedes  in  Delaware. 


On  the  Sth  of  July  I  was  again  home  with  family  and 
friends  in  Minneapolis,  and  found  everything  pretty  much  as 
I  had  left  it  nearly  two  years  previously,  except  that  my  good 
old  father  had  gone  to  his  final  rest.  A  couple  of  days  later  I 
visited  my  farm,  in  the  Red  River  valley,  and  my  old  and 
faithful  friend  Capt.  H.  Eustrom,  who  lived  close  by  and 
was  then  holding  an  important  office,  and  who  had  faithful 
ly  attended  to  my  interests  at  that  place  during  my  absence. 

My  Scandinavian  friends  had  meanwhile  arranged  a  re 
ception  for  me,  and  on  the  llth  some  eighty  of  them  joined 
in  a  banquet  at  Lyndale  Hotel,  then  situated  in  the  suburbs 
of  Minneapolis  at  Lake  Calhoun.  The  afternoon  was  devoted 
to  a  steamboat  tour  around  the  beautiful  lake,  and  in  the 
evening  the  party  all  sat  down  to  a  sumptuous  banquet, 
where  many  addresses  of  welcome  and  tokens  of  friendship 
were  spoken,  read  and  sung.  I  had  been  absent  nearly  two 
years,  seen  and  experienced  much  of  the  world  and  enjoyed 
many  pleasures,  but  I  found  the  old  saying  true;  " There  is 
no  place  like  home."  These  two  years  had  been  of  particular 

287 


2s8  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

importance  in  the  history  of  the  cities  of  Minneapolis  and  St. 
Paul.  The  population  had  nearly  trebled  during  that  time, 
and  such  improvements  had  been  made  that  I  could  hardly 
recognize  them. 

A  week  after  my  return  my  friends  from  Holland  arrived, 
and  we  proceeded  to  New  Mexico,  where  we  found  the  great 
Maxwell  estate,  valued  at  ten  million  dollars,  and  containing 
one  and  a  half  million  acres  of  land,  consisting  of  coal  fields, 
gold  mines,  timber  and  grazing  lands,  in  a  deplorable  condi 
tion  caused  by  extravagance  and  mismanagement.  We  found 
that  there  was  nearly  a  million  dollars  of  current  debts, 
while  the  income  was  not  sufficient  to  buy  postage  stamps  to 
carry  on  the  necessary  business  correspondence. 

An  agreement  was  fin  ally  effected  whereby  the  former  pres 
ident  and  American  manager  relinquished  his  interest  and 
resigned  his  position  ;  the  Holland  directors  determined  to 
raise  the  necessary  funds  in  Europe,  and  I  agreed  to  under 
take  the  liquidation  of  the  affairs  of  the  company. 

Shortly  after  I  repaired  to  Washington  to  report  my  in 
spection  tour  in  India,  and  tender  my  resignation,  which  was 
accepted,  an  unusual  courtesy  being  shown  me  by  ex 
tending  mv  leave  of  absence  to  January  the  next  year.  The 
following  two  years  were  devoted  principally  to  business 
journeys  to  New  Mexico,  England  and  Holland.  I  visited 
the  latter  countries  four  times  during  that  period.  With  the 
powerful  aid  of  Baron  Rebeque,  who  had  spent  several 
months  writh  me  in  this  countrv  in  the  summer  and  fall  of 
1883,  a  syndicate,  backed  by  Several  million  dollars,  was  at 
last  formed  in  Holland,  and  the  whole  estate  was  turned 
over  to  it.  Having  accomplished  this,  I  voluntarily  with 
drew  from  the  concern,  and  returned  to  my  own  farm  and 
home  in  Minnesota. 

The  Maxwell  estate  is  situated  within  the  Rocky  moun 
tain  region,  on  an  elevation  of  from  six  thousand  to  twelve 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  289 

thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  The  climate  is  delightful  and 
the  scenery  beautiful,  but  the  country  is  not  fit  for  cultiva 
tion,  except  such  parts  as  can  be  irrigated.  Hence  most  of 
it  is  devoted  to  stock  raising,  and  herds  of  countless  cattle 
were  roaming  over  the  prairies,  the  Maxwell  Company  aloi  e 
owning  at  the  time  I  left  its  service  nearly  twenty  thousand 
head. 

In  the  fall  of  1886  I  was  for  the  second  time  elected  secre 
tary  of  state  by  the  citizens  of  Minnesota,  re-elected  in  1888, 
and  thus  made  for  the  third  time  the  head  of  the  state  de 
partment. 

In  the  fall  of  1887  the  citizens  of  Minneapolis  were  hon 
ored  by  a  visit  from  a  large  number  of  Swedish,  Norwegian 
and  Danish  military  officers,  non-commissioned  officers  and 
soldiers.  They  arrived  by  an  express  train  from  Chicago, 
and  were  met  at  the  union  depot  by  thousands  of  people. 
The  Swedish  Guard,  Norm  anna  Infantry,  and  the  society 
Dania  were  paraded  outside  the  depot  building.  The  guests 
were  received  by  a  committee,  and  conducted  in  procession 
through  the  illuminated  and  crowded  streets  to  Dania  hall, 
where  a  splendid  banquet  was  enjoyed,  while  music  was  dis 
coursed  by  the  Svea  and  Normanna  bands.  The  city  mayor, 
Dr.  Ames,  made  an  address  of  welcome,  after  which  several 
Scandinavians  made  speeches.  I  had  been  elected  as  the 
spokesman  for  the  Swedes,  and  expressed  myself  as  follows: 

"  Honored  Guests  from  Sweden,  Norway  and  Denmark  : 

"  From  the  place  where  we  now  stand  the  roar  of  the  St.  Anthony  falls 
may  be  heard  through  the  still  night.  You  are,  therefore,  far  back  in  the 
depths  of  the  American  West ;  and  yet  this  is  onh"  the  modern  gate  of  en 
trance  to  the  great  North-west. 

"A  couple  of  hours  ago  a  half  dozen  railway  trains  left  our  depot  over 
different  roads  and  are  now  speeding  on  toward  the  setting  sun,  and  some 
of  them  do  not  cease  their  journey  until  they  have  passed  distances  greater 
than  that  between  London  and  Rome,  through  fertile,  but,  as  yet,  mostly 
unsettled  regions.  Thirty-four  years  ago  I,  writh  a  few  other  of  your 

countrymen,  some  of  the  earliest  in  Minnesota,   gazed  for  the  fiist  time  at 
iy 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  291 

the  St.  Anthony  falls.  There  was  no  city,  not  even  a  sign  of  a  city,  on  this 
side  of  the  river;  the  red  man  chased  his  game  in  the  woods  where  our 
churches  and  school  houses  now  stand  ;  the  country  west  of  us  was  an  un 
known  wilderness,  Minnesota  did  not  exist  as  a  state,  and  many  of  our 
western  states,  which  now  contain  millions  of  happy  inhabitants,  were  not 
even  projected. 

"Now,  on  the  contrary,  our  state  alone  is  a  mighty  empire,  with  a  pop 
ulation  of  nearly  a  million  and  a  half,  and  with  an  assessed  valuation  of 
six  hundred  million  dollars.  Minnesota  now  produces  a  hundred  million 
bushels  of  grain  annually  on  her  fertile  fields,  six  hundred  and  fifty  million 
feet  of  lumber  from  her  forests,  and  her  infant  iron  mines  already  show  an 
annual  production  of  half  a  million  tons  of  rich  ore  The  Scandinavians 
constitute  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  population  of  the  state,  and  pro 
duce  at  least  one-third  of  our  agricultural  products  on  the'r  own  lands, 
as  most  of  them  are  farmers.  The  amount  of  grain  which  in  Minnesota 
alone  is  annually  produced,  would  be  more  than  sufficient  to  furnish  the 
whole  population  of  Sweden  with  bread  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
each  year. 

"  Our  beautiful  city  of  Minneapolis  has  already  a  population  of  one  hun 
dred  and  sixty  thousand,  of  which  at  least  one-fourth,  or  forty  thousand, 
are  Scandinavians  or  their  descendants. 

"I  hope  you  will  all  have  an  opportunity  to  see  our  city  with  your  own 
eyes  before  you  leave  us, — its  mills,  churches,  schools  and  happy  homes, — 
and  will  therefore  not  consume  the  time  by  referring  to  these. 

"As  to  yourselves,  gentlemen,  we  have  heard  what  has  been  said  to  you 
so  expressively  in  Chicago  by  our  friends  there,  and  we  join  them  heartily 
in  their  praise. 

"When  we  heard  that  the  soldiers  and  representatives  of  Denmark,  Nor- 
wa}r  and  Sweden  would  honor  us  with  a  visit  we  all  rejoiced,  and  we  have 
come  together  this  evening  to  express  our  joy  in  a  cordial  welcome. 

"We  have  intentionally  conducted  you  to  this  hall  where  we  may,  under 
our  own  roof,  pay  you  our  homage  in  the  plain  manner  of  our  sturdy 
Scandinavian  forefathers,  and  give  you  an  opportunity  to  see  us  as  we  are 
in  our  daily  life.  We  are  men  of  the  people;  we  have  come  here  as  poor  im. 
migrants,  ignorant  of  the  language  and  of  the  customs  of  the  country.  Our 
sole  heritage  was  our  strong  arms  and  our  good  cheer, — no,  excuse  me,  an 
other  heritage  of  more  worth  than  gold  or  genius  have  we  brought  from 
our  old  homesteads, — our  share  of  Northern  fidelity,  strength,  and  virtue; 
and  the  talent  confided  to  us  we  have  used  in  all  branches  of  industry,  sci 
ence,  fine  arts,  in  the  service  of  the  community,  the  state,  and  the  Union, 
in  peace  and  in  war,  and  we  perform  our  share  in  the  great  national  work, 
the  result  of  which  is  a  new  and  powerful  commonwealth,  the  foundation 
of  which  lies  in  the  individual  worth  and  right  of  man. 

"I  think  I  can  see  a  Providential  dispensation  in  this,  that  when  the  time 


292  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

arrived  for  the  new  world  to  take  its  place  among  the  nations  with  a  new 
and  powerful  cosmopolitan  race,  the  Scandinavian  people  were  also  chosen 
to  contribute  a  part  in  that  grand  work,  and  that  it  was  especially  reserved 
for  the  'men  of  the  people'  to  receive  in  this  country  free  and  equal  oppor 
tunity  for  their  development.  Who  can  fail  to  see  the  stamp  of  the  Scandi 
navian  people  on  the  entire  social  fabric  of  the  new  world  ? 

"  We  would  be  forgetful  if  we  did  not  gratefully  remember  the  great  good 
which  the  fatherland  has  bestowed  upon  us  from  tender  childhood  to  the 
very  hour  when  we  bid  it  iarewell ;  we  would  be  unworthy  of  the  name  and 
fame  of  our  fathers  if  we  did  not  honor  and  love  as  a  dear  mother  the  ever 
memorable  land  of  our  birth,  and  you,  its  worthy  representatives,  as  our 
relatives  and  brothers. 

"Your  presence  among  us  is  a  proud  event,  and  its  remembrance  shall  be 
cherished  as  one  of  the  most  pleasant.  And  when  you  return  to  those  dear 
places  where  we  took  the  first  steps  on  life's  eventful  journey,  we  wish  you 
to  take  back  cordial  greetings  from  us  all,  and  say  to  our  kindred  that  we 
teach  our  children  to  love  and  honor  the  people  and  institutions  in  the 
Northern  lands,  although  they  havenever  seen  them;  and  say  to  them  that, 
far  out  in  the  wide  West  by  the  laughing  water  of  Hiawatha,  and  hundreds 
of  miles  beyond,  are  friend  sand  brothers  whose  fidelity  and  affection  neither 
time  nor  distance  can  obliterate." 

The  address  was  responded  to  with  much  feeling  by  Col. 
Liljehok  of  Sweden.  The  festivities  continued  amid  address 
es,  music  and  song  until  long  past  midnight.  -.The  following 
day  the  guests  were  shown  around  the  city,  after  which  they 
visited  St.  Paul,  where  they  also  received  a  cordial  welcome, 
and  were  presented  to  the  governor. 

The  following  year,  on  the  14th  of  September,  an  event 
took  place  which  deserves  particular  mention.  It  was  the 
celebration  of  the  two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
the  landing  of  the  first  Swedish  settlers  on  the  Delaware. 
The  Revs.  J.  Enstam  and  C.  J.  Petri,  together  with  myself, 
in  the  middle  of  the  summer  called  a  meeting  of  Swedish- 
American  citizens  to  prepare  for  such  celebration.  Commit 
tees  were  appointed  and  elaborate  preparations  made,  to 
which  nearly  all  the  Swedes  lent  a  willing  and  helping  hand. 
The  great  exposition  building  was  given  up  to  our  use; 
bands  of  music  were  .engaged,  a  choir  of  one  hundred  and 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  293 

fifty  Swedish  singers,  mostly  from  the  different  churches, 
was  trained,  and  eminent  orators,  statesmen  and  professors 
were  invited.  A  souvenir  badge  was  sold  at  the  Swedish 
business  places  in  the  city ;  the  net  proceeds, — amounting  to 
about  eight  hundred  dollars, — were  donated  to  the  fund  for 
the  relief  of  the  sufferers  by  the  great  fires  in  Sundsvall,  Umea 
and  Lilla  Edet  in  Sweden. 

The  program  of  the  day  included  a  fine  parade  with  bands 
of  music  and  banners;  but  a  heavy  rain  came  early  in  the 
day,  and  the  parade  had  to  be  abandoned,  and  the  people  in 
structed  to  assemble  at  the  exposition  building  at  their  own 
convenience,  which  they  also  did,  in  such  great  numbers  that 
before  the  hour  of  opening  the  exercises  every  seat  and  stand 
ing  place  in  the  great  auditorium  were  occupied.  Many 
came  from  distant  towns,  cities  and  states;  a  special  train 
brought  nearly  one  thousand  from  St.  Paul,  with  marshals, 
music  and  banners;  the  general  council  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
then  assembled  in  Minneapolis,  came  in  a  body  and  occupied 
seats  on  the  platform  to  the  right  of  Cappa's  Seventh  New 
York  Regiment  Band,  while  the  Swedish  chorus  of  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  voices,  under  Prof.  Norman,  occupied  the  plat 
form  to  the  left. 

The  platforms  were  decorated  with  numerous  society  ban 
ners,  and  the  colors  of  Sweden  were  seen  everywhere.  The 
lofty  pillars  reaching  to  the  roof  were  wrapped  in  alternate 
stripes  of  blue  and  yellow,  the  national  colors  of  Sweden, 
and  side  by  side  and  uppermost  were  the  stars  and  stripes. 
A  large  picture  of  the  old  Swedes  Church  in  Wilmington, 
Delaware,  built  in  1698,  was  hung  in  front  of  the  speakers' 
platform,  and  attracted  general  attention. 

As  chairman  of  the  committee  of  arrangements  I  had  the 
honor  to  act  as  presiding  officer  of  the  day.  The  govern 
ment  of  Sweden  was  represented  by  Consul  Sahlgaard,  with 
other  distinguished  guests,  and  the  historical  society  of 


294 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 


Delaware  by  Maj.  Geo.  Q.  White.  As  near  as  can  be  esti 
mated  there  were  fully  fifteen  thousand  people  present, 
and  the  interest  manifested  by  that  vast  audience  can  best 
be  understood  from  the  fact  that  thousands  stood  upon 
their  feet  during  the  whole  proceedings,  which  lasted  three 
hours. 


OLD  SWKDES   CHURCH  AT  WILMINGTON.     • 

The  festivities  commenced  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
with  a  musical  selection  by  Cappa's  band,  at  the  close  of 
\vhich  the  audience  was  welcomed  by  myself  in  the  follow 
ing  words: 

"  The  discovery  of  America  was  the  greatest  event  which  had  taken  place 
from  the  days  of  Christ  till  it  was  made,  but  the  settlement  of  America 
by  the  right  kind  of  people  was,  in  its  beneficial  effects  upon  the  hum  an  race, 
a  matter  of  still  greater  importance.  It  seems  like  an  order  of  Divine  Prov 
idence  that  this  new  world  was  left  in  its  natural  or  savage  state  during 
all  the  dark  centuries  of  schooling  and  experiments  in  Asia,  Africa  and  Eu 
rope,  in  order  that  it  might  remain  a  virgin  soil  for  the  higher  civilization 
which  was  to  follow. 

"To  establish  this  civilization,  based  upon  true  principles  of  government 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  295 

required  not  only  wisdom  and  strength,  but  toleration,  brotherhood,  jus 
tice  and  exalted  virtue.  The  people  chosen  for  that  great  work  came  irom 
different  countries  and  different  conditions  of  life, — the  English  Pilgrims  to 
New  England,  the  Dutch,  the  Swedes  and  the  Quakers  to  the  middle  coun 
try,  the  English  Cavaliers,  the  Scotch  Highlanders  and  the  French  Hugue 
nots  to  the  South,— and  in  them  all,  combined  and  intermingled,  were  found 
the  elements  of  body  and  of  mind,  which  have  given  to  the  world  its  best 
government,  its  greatest  nation,  and  its  highest  civilization. 

"  Since  the  English  were  the  largest  in  number  their  language  became  the 
language  of  all,  and  for  that  reason,  perhaps,  history  has  been  partial  to 
those  who  first  spoke  it.  Memorials  and  anniversaries  have  often  been  cel 
ebrated  over  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  and  the  valor  of  the  knights;  their 
just  praise  has  been  written  and  sung  a  thousand  times,  so  that  their  hon 
ored  names  have  become  precious  household  words  among  the  generations 
of  our  day,  while  the  others  have  often  been  forgotten  or  ignored. 

"Fully  recognizing  the  merits  of  all,  we  have  assembled  here  to-day  from 
many  parts  of  the  United  States  to  commemorate  a  great  historical  event, 
— in  celebrating  the  two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  landing  of 
the  Swedes  on  the  Delaware,  and  to  do  honor  to  their  memory  in  prayer, 
song  and  speech,  and  to  this  intellectual  feast  I  bid  you  all  a  hearty  wel 
come.  " 

This  celebration  was  unquestionably  the  largest  and  most 
important  gathering  that  ever  took  place  among  the  Swedes 
in  America ;  great  attention  was  paid  to  it  all  over  the 
country,  and  it  contributed  greatly  toward  placing  the 
Swedes  rightly  in  the  estimation  of  the  people,  throwing  «. 
clearer  light  on  the  achievements  of  the  past,  and  empha 
sizing  the  importance  of  the  Swedish-Americans  of  the  pres 
ent. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


The  Causes  of  Immigration — American  Influence  on  Europe,  and  Especially 
on  Sweden — The  Condition  of  the  Swedes  in  America — American  Charac 
teristics — Antipathy  against  Foreigners — The  Swedish  Press  oil  America 
— American  Heiresses. 


Much  has  been  said  on  the  causes  of  immigration.  These 
are  numerous,  but  the  chief  cause  I  have  found  to  be  that  the 
people  of  the  old  world  are  now  being  aroused  to  the  fact 
that  the  social  conditions  of  Europe,  with  its  aristocracy  and 
other  inherited  privileges,  are  not  founded  on  just  princi 
ples,  but  that  the  way  to  success  ought  to  be  equally  open 
for  all,  and  determined,  not  by  privileges  of  birth,  but  by  the 
inherent  worth  of  man.  And  here  in  America  is  found  a  civ 
ilization  which  is,  to  a  large  extent,  built  on  equality  and  the 
recognition  of  personal  merit.  This  and  the  great  natural 
resources  of  the  country,  the  prospects  forgood  wages  which 
a  new  continent  affords,  and  in  many  cases  greater  religious 
liberty,  draws  the  people  of  Europe,  at  any  rate  from  Sweden, 
to  this  country . 

Sweden  is  a  very  good  country,  but  more  especially  so  for 
those  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  be  born  to  title,  hon 
or  or  riches.  To  be  sure,  even  there  instances  are  known  of 
men  from  the  ordinary  walks  of  life  making  their  wav  to 
wealth  and  prominence;  but  those  are  exceptions,  possible 
only  in  cases  of  unusually  great  personal  merit.  Here,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  reverse  is  the  rule ;  the  self-made  man  ac- 


296 


STORY  OP  AN  EMIGRANT.  297 

complishes  most,  as  instanced  by  the  history  of  our  presi 
dents,  governors,  financiers  and  other  distinguished  men. 
And  this  is  quite  natural,  for  the  prospects  and  possibilities 
which  a  man  sees  before  him  in  this  country  stimulate  his 
ambition,  and  arouse  his  energies  to  surmount  the  greatest 
difficulties. 

The  new  ideas  now  permeating  society  in  Europe,  and 
which  will  gradually  transform  it,  have,  to  a  great  extent, 
originated  in  America,  more  particularly  the  idea  of  brother 
hood,  the  sympathy  with  equals,  the  conviction  that  it  is 
our  duty  to  better  the  condition  of  our  fellow-men,  and  not 
despise  them,  even  if  they  are  unfortunate.  In  this  respect, 
as  well  as  in  many  others,  America  exerts  a  great  influence 
over  Europe.  To  me  the  better  situated  classes  of  Sweden 
seem  short-sighted  in  their  hostility  to  emigration,  foraman 
of  broad  views  must  admit  that  emigration  has  been  benefi 
cial  even  to  Sweden  herself.  It  may  not  have  benefited  the 
higher  classes  directly,  as  they  cannot  hire  servants  and  la 
borers  as  cheaply  as  formerly ;  but  the  people  have  benefited 
by  it  as  a  whole,  their  condition  being  now  better  than  for 
merly,  when  competition  between  the  laborers  was  greater 

America  also  exerts  a  great  influence  on  the  mental  and 
moral  development  of  the  people  of  Sweden,  although  this 
may  not  be  so  apparent  on  the  surface.  The  thousands  and 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  letters  written  every  year  by  Swed 
ish-Americans  to  the  people  of  the  working  classes  of 
Sweden  arouse  the  latter's  ambition,  and  develop  liberal, 
political  and  religious  ideas  among  them.  No  one  can  cal 
culate  the  scope  of  this  influence,  to  say  nothing  of  the  elo 
quent  language  spoken  by  the  millions  of  crowns  which  are 
annually  sent  home  to  poor  relatives  and  friends,  and  which 
either  lighten  the  burden  of  poverty  or  enable  the  recipients 
to  prepare  a  brighter  future  for  themselves  in  this  country, 
and  how  many  a  poor,  down-trodden  fellow,  who  could  ex- 


298  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

pect  nothing  better  than  the  poor-house  in  his  old  age  in 
Sweden  has  become  an  able  and  useful  citizen  in  this  country  ! 

When  the  poor  young  laboring  man  or  woman,  who  in 
Sweden  has  felt  the  oppression  of  poverty  and  looked  for 
ward  to  a  life  without  hope,  arrives  in  this  country,  the 
timid,  bashful  looks  give  way  to  hopefulness  and  self-reliar.ct ;. 
It  is  true  that  this  is  often  carried  too  far,  especially  in  the 
line  of  expensive  and  extravagant  dress,  which  sometimes 
makes  the  wearer  appear  ridiculous;  but  these  are  trifles, 
the  main  thing  being  that  those  people  learn  to  know  their 
own  worth,  and  are  able  to  create  a  brighter  future  for  them 
selves. 

The  tact  and  manner  acquired  within  a  short  time  by  com 
mon  laborers  who  looked  thoughtless  and  careless  while  at 
home,  are  simply  astonishing.  A  Swedish  diplomat,  who 
visited  Minnesota  twenty  years  ago,  and,  among  others, 
met  one  of  his  father's  former  farm  laborers,  who  was  now 
in  good  circumstances,  in  an  official  report  to  the  govern 
ment  of  Sweden  expressed  his  astonishment  at  the  change 
which  the  Swedish  people  had  undergone  in  that  respect. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  many  among  the  higher  classes  in 
Sweden  feel  very  unfriendly  toward  the  United  States,  and 
it  was  even  not  long  ago  a  common  saying  among  them* 
"America  is  the  paradise  of  all  rogues  and  rascals." 

Many  Americans  suppose  themselves  to  be  better  than  all 
others,  and  believe  their  country  and  institutions  to  be  perfect. 
In  this  they  are  mistaken,  for  in  several  respects  this  country 
is  as  yet  in  its  infancy,  and  has  many  defects  which  the  coun 
tries  in  the  north  of  Europe  have  long  since  outgrown.  As 
one  instance  I  would  mention  that  the  school  system  is  al 
together  too  dependent  on  local  influences,  so  that  while  the 
common  schools  in  the  northern  cities  and  towns  are  very 
fine, — in  some  instances  perfect, — those  in  the  country  rate 
very  low  compared  with  the  same  class  in  Sweden,  Norway, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  290 

Denmark,  and  Northern  Germany.  Another  case  in  point  is 
the  system  of  taxation  which  notably  gives  unprincipled  men 
of  wealth  opportunities  for  escape,  while  the  poorer  classes 
are  taxed  for  the  full  amount  of  their  property,  the  burden 
thus  falling  proportionately  heaviest  where  it  ought  to  be 
lightest,  and  vice  versa.  Again,  the  laws  which  make  pos 
sible  rings,  monopolies,  and  trusts,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  the 
people,  or  permit  gambling  on  the  produce  of  the  country  as 
carried  on  in  the  great  commercial  marts  of  America,  robbing 
the  producer  of  the  fair  wages  of  his  toil,  and  many  other 
things  which  would  not  be  tolerated  among  the  nations  of 
Europe.  Thus  it  lies  within  the  power  of  one  man,  in  this  our 
great  state  of  Minnesota  and  other  states,  to  make  or  unmake 
cities,  towns,  and  communities,  by  a  single  edict  locating  a 
railroad,  fixing  a  time-table,  and  in  many  other  ways  exer 
cising  arbitrary  power  that  no  European  ruler  would  think 
of  assuming.  The  execution  of  our  laws,  also,  in  many 
places  has  proven  highly  unsatisfactory,  often  making  our 
much-boasted  jury  system,  especially  in  criminal  cases,  a 
farce  and  a  disgrace. 

The  trouble  is  that  political  demagogues  and  Fourth  of 
July  orators  continually  keep  pointing  out  only  the  best 
sides  of  our  institutions,  which  undoubtedly  are  both  many 
and  great,  while  few  have  the  courage  to  speak  of  the  de 
fects  and  short-comings. 

As  for  the  conduct  of  the  native  Americans  toward  the 
immigrants  who  settle  among  them,  I  venture  to  say  that 
although  they  consider  themselves  very  tolerant,  and  are  so 
in  a  general  way,  they  are  in  many  respects  very  intolerant 
and  prejudiced;  but  this  is  owing  to  a  lack  of  knowledge 
concerning  other  nations.  It  is  true  that  the  immigrant,  es 
pecially  from  the  north  of  Europe,  is  bidden  welcome,  and  is 
generally  \vell  received,  but  he  is  expected  to  be  content  w^ith 
shoveling  dirt,  chopping  wood,  carrying  water,  plowing  the 


300  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

fields,  and  doing  other  manual  labor,  no  one  disputing  his 

Bright  or  his  fitness  for  these  occupations.     But  when   he  be- 

l^ gins  to  compete  with   the  native  American  for  honor   and 

'emolument  in  the  higher  walks  of  life,  he  is  often  met  with 

coldness,  mingled,  perhaps,  with  a  little  envy,  and  although 

•  the  adopted  citizen   may,   in  many  instances,   start   on   an 

'equal  footing  with  the  natives  in  culture,   intelligence,   and 

•business  ability,  it  is  only  exceptionally  that  he  willberecog- 

t  nized  as  an  equal  socially;  and  there  is  scarcely  an    adopted 

citizen  of  the  non-English-speaking  nationalities  who  has  not 

deeply  realized  the  truth  of  this  statement. 

It  may  be  safely  said  that  it  will  on  an  average  take  two 
generations  before  the  children  of  the  non-English-speaking 
immigrants  shall  cease  to  suffer  more  or  less  from  these  preju 
dices.  Certainly  the  children  of  immigrant  parents,  although 
born  and  brought  up  in  this  country,  are  often  subjected  to 
sneers  and  taunts  by  their  more  fortunate  playfellow's,  even 
within  the  walls  of  the  American  public  schools. 

This  antipathy  is  most  noticeable  in  places  where  the  num 
ber  of  foreigners  is  very  great,  but  less  where  they  are 
few,  and  may  be  explained  and.  partly  excused  by  the  fact 
that,  when  a  great  number  of  foreigners  live  together  they 
are  more  apt  to  maintain  their  customs,  language  and 
amusements,  which  differ  from  those  of  the  native-born. 
But  the  chief  reason  is  that  when  the  immigrants,  most  of 
whom  belong  to  the  hard-working  classes,  arrive  directly 
from  a  long  and  exhausting  journey,  they  are  often  poorly 
"  dressed,  awkwrard  and  ignorant  of  the  language  and  customs 
of  the  country,  and  look  forlorn  and  crestfallen.  The  first 
.  impression  which  the  native  American  thus  receives  remains 
•  with  him,  while  he  does  not  stop  to  consider  that  the  same 
class  of  people  corning  from  America  to  Europe  w^ould  not 
appear  to  better  advantage  if  they  should  go  there  as  immi 
grants.  Nor  does  he  consider  the  injustice  of  judging  w^hole 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  301 

nationalities  by  their  less  favored  representatives  under  such 
circumstances.  There  are,  of  course,  many  noble  exceptions 
among  the  native  Americans;  but  as  to  genuine  tolerance 
between  different  nationalities,  I  have  seen  far  more  of  it  in 
the  great  cosmopolitan  cities  of  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa, 
than  in  America. 

But  these  shortcomings  may  be  easily  overlooked  for  the 
many  noble  traits  of  character  which  all  admit  him  to  possess 
And  most  striking  and  beautiful  of  these  is  the  honor  and 
respect  he  shows  to  woman.  There  is  no  other  country  in 
the  world  where  woman  is  treated  with  such  consideration, 
and  where  she  is  as  safe  and  honored  as  among  Americans, 
and  if  we  judge  nations  by  the  way  their  women  are  treated, 
as  I  think  we  should,  the  American  nation  has  no  peer  in  the 
world. 

But  if  the  Americans  have  a  one-sided  and  wrong  concep 
tion  of  foreigners,  so  have  also  many  foreign  people  a  wrong 
conception  of  America,  and  we  ought  not  to  blame  the  former 
more  than  the  latter.  The  Swedish  press,  for  instance, — 
with  praise-worthy  exceptions,  of  course, — has  alwa}rs 
shown  great  prejudice  or  ignorance  in  its  treatment  of  Ameri 
ca,  and  especially  of  the  Swedish-Americans.  Thus  it  has 
always  been  ready  to  dwell  on  the  dark  sides  and  keep  silent 
about  that  which  is  praiseworthy  in  this  country.  If,  for 
instance,  a  lawless  deed  has  been  perpetrated  on  the  frontier 
it  is  pointed  to  as  a  sample  of  American  civilization,  with 
out  considering  that  such  things  take  place  only  in  the  west 
ern  cow-boy  or  mining  life,  the  days  of  which  will  soon  be 
long  to  the  past.  And  if  an  immigrant,  who,  deservedly  or 
undeservedly,  has  been  unsuccessful  writes  a  letter  to  his  old 
home  and  slanders  America,  how  eager  the  newspapers  are 
to  rush  into  print  with  it.  Even  if  the  man  has  been  here 
only  a  few  months,  and  seen  only  a  small  spot  of  the  country, 
they  are  still  ready  to  accept  his  story  as  reliable  testimony, 


302  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

and  judge  the  whole  country  accordingly.  But  this  by  no 
means  applies  to  Sweden  and  the  Swedish  press  alone;  it 
may  with  equal  truth  be  said  of  the  Europeans  and  the  press 
of  Europe  generally. 

There  is  no  gainsaying  the  fact,  howrever,  that  new 
comers  as  a  rule  must  expect  adversity  and  difficulty  on 
account  of  being  strangers,  and  because  of  their  unfamil- 
iarity  with  the  English  language.  And  such  as  are  unac 
customed  to  manual  labor  and  have  not  learned  a  trade 
stand  a  poor  chance,  especially  in  the  beginning.  Book 
learning  is  of  little  use  at  first,  for  there  is  no  lack  of  educat 
ed  people  in  America.  Hence  it  is  a  great  mistake  for  young 
men  with  nothing  but  an  education  to  depend  upon  to  come 
here  with  the  expectation  of  making  a  fortune,  for  the  only 
way  to  success  will  at  first  generally  be  by  taking  hold  of 
the  spade  or  the  axe.  Have  they  the  courage  to  do  this?  Then 
let  them  come,  for  opportunities  "will  open  after  a  while  to 
those  who  shall  deserve  them.  Certificates  of  character  and 
recommendation  are  here  of  little  value;  titles  and  family 
connections  of  still  less.  One  cares  not  much  for  what  you 
have  been ;  but  only  for  what  you  are. 

In  the  last  civil  war  a  young  German  officer  came  to  Pres 
ident  Lincoln  and  offered  his  services  as  a  volunteer  in  the 
army.  The  man  had  high  recommendations,  and  talked  a 
great  deal  about  his  noble  birth,  and  even  intimated  that 
royal  blood  was  flowing  through  his  veins.  Having  patient 
ly  listened  to  all  this,  Lincoln,  putting  his  hand  on  the  young 
man's  shoulder,  said,  encouragingly :  "  Do  n't  let  this  trouble 
you,  my  friend,  for  I  assure  you  that  if  you  only  do  your  duty 
well  and  faithfully,  these  things  will  be  no  impediment  to  your 
success.  We  are  not  so  unjust  in  America  as  to  think  less  of 
a  man  on  account  of  his  European  titles.  No,  I  can  assure 
you  that  you  have  precisely  the  same  chance  for  advance 
ment  and  success  as  if  you  had  been  a  man  of  the  people, 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  303 

provided  you  prove  as  competent  and  meritorious  as  one 
of  them." 

;  I  have  often  heard  Europeans  wonder  how  it  is  that  with 
such  a  democratic  spirit  so  many  American  heiresses  seem 
anxious  to  marry  European  noblemen.  But  it  should  be  re 
membered  in  the  first  place  that  there  are  not  many,  but  com 
paratively  only  a  few  who  manifest  this  desire,  and  also  that 
those  few  by  no  means  represent  public  opinion  here.  On 
the  other  hand,  is  it  not  quite  natural  that  when  European 
gentlemen  of  the  highest  classes  meet  and  get  acquainted 
with  American  girls,  their  social  and  intellectual  equals,  that 
a  mutual  attachment  may  in  most  cases  be  the  true  motive 
for  such  alliances  ?  For,  as  the  grand  Lincoln  remarked, 
when  the  European  nobleman  possesses  all  other  requisite 
qualifications  his  titles  are  no  barrier  to  his  success,  either  in 
the  army,  in  business  affairs,  or  with  the  fair  sex.  Old 
names  and  titles  are  usually  a  guaranty  of  good  education, 
culture,  and  other  praiseworthy  acquisitions. 

In  my  contact  with  the  world  and  with  men  of  different 
peoples  and  races,  I  have  found  that  it  is  unjust  to  judge  them 
by  nations  or  classes,  as  if  one  nation  or  one  class  were 
necessarily  better  or  worse  than  others,  for  there  are  both 
good  and  bad  characters  among  all,  and  a  good  man  is 
just  as  good,  and  a  bad  one  just  as  bad,  whether  he  be  Hin 
doo,  Mohammedan,  or  Christian,  American  or  Swede,  no 
bleman  or  peasant.  Much  good  may  be  hidden  under  a 
coarse  and  common  exterior,  and  we  must  not  search  for 
virtue  only  among  the  accomplished,  the  rich,  and  the  fine- 
looking.  Just  as  much,  indeed,  is  found  amongthe  lowly  and 
unobserved ;  and  in  the  quiet,  humble  daily  walks  of  life  arc 
constantly  enacted  deeds  of  heroism  and  virtue  which  arc 
never  known  or  applauded  by  the  world,  though  fully  as  de 
serving  as  many  of  those  which  are  given  an  honored  place 
in  the  annals  of  history;  yes,  often  much  more  so. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

REVIEW. 


A  few  weeks  ago  I  made  a  short  visit  to  Vasa,  our  first 
home  in  Minnesota.  The  occasion  was  the  eighty-seventh 
birthday  of  my  mother,  who  still  lives  near  the  old  home 
stead.*  With  spirited  horses  I  drove  in  company  with  a  son 
and  a  grandson  over  the  same  road  which  was  first  marked 
out  by  our  simple  ox  wagon  thirty-eight  years  before. 

What  a  change!  The  former  wilderness  changed  into 
smiling  fields  dressed  in  the  purest  green  of  early  summer, 
and  along  the  whole  road  are  fine  homes,  nearly  all  of  which 
belong  to  Swedish-Americans,  who  commenced  their  career 
as  poor  immigrants  like  myself,  or  to  their  children,  most  of 
whom  are  to  the  manor-born. 

We  stop  twelve  miles  from  Red  Wing  close  to  our  old  farm, 
at  a  little  cottage  surrounded  by  tall  trees.  There,  by  the 
window,  sits  greatgrandma,  watching  eagerly  for  someone 
whom  she  knows  always  spends  that  day  with  her. 

Close  to  the  quiet  home  stands  the  large  Lutheran  church, 
one  of  the  finest  country  churches  in  America,  and  to  the 
peaceful  cemetery  surrounding  it  we  all  soon  make  a  pilgrim 
age  to  scatter  flowers  on  the  graves  where  my  good  father 
and  sister,  my  wife's  parents,  sister,  and  many  other  near 
relatives  have  found  a  resting  place.  The  little  cemetery  is 
clothed  in  a  flowery  carpet  of  nature's  own  garb,  and  stud- 


•Since  dead. 

304 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  305 

ded  with  several  hundred  marble  monuments  with  inscrip- 


SWEDISH    CHURCH    IN    YASA. 


tions  that  testify  to  the  Swedish  ancestry  of  those  who  rest 

under  them. 
20 


306  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

From  this  place,  which  is  the  most  elevated  point  in  Vasa, 
the  surrounding  country  affords  a  picture  of  such  rural 
peace  and  beauty,  that  even  a  stranger  must  involuntarily 
pause  to  wonder  and  admire;  how  much  more,  then,  I,  who 
was  the  first  white  man  that  trod  this  ground!  Below, 
toward  the  south,  we  see  the  wooded  valley,  watered  by  a 
little  creek  from  Willard's  spring,  where  we  came  near  per 
ishing  that  cold  January  night  in  1854;  at  the  head  of  the 
valley,  the  hill  where  we  built  the  first  log  cabin ;  immedi 
ately  beyond  this  hill  the  hospitable  home  of  my  wife's  par 
ents,  from  which  I  brought  my  young  bride  to  our  own 
happy  little  home,  which  stood  on  another  hill  near  the  same 
spring,  and  of  which  a  part  still  remains;  here,  just  below 
the  church,  is  the  field  I  first  plowed ;  over  there  in  the  grove 
where  we  cut  logs  and  fencing  material,  stands  now  the 
orphan  home,  established  by  Rev.  E.  Norelius ;  and  on  the 
other  side  the  road  is  his  handsome  residence  and  garden, 
but  he  himself  sits  inside,  frail  and  suffering  on  account  of 
the  hardships  of  the  first  few  years. 

Close  by  are  the  post-office,  two  stores,  a  blacksmith  shop, 
a  school-house,  two  smaller  churches,  one  Methodist  and 
one  Baptist,  and  several  other  public  and  private  buildings, 
and  a  few  miles  farther  north,  near  the  Cannon  river,  are 
two  railroads,  running  from  the  Mississippi  westward,  con 
necting  with  other  roads  which  span  the  continent,  and  only 
terminate  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  ocean. 

All  around,  so  far  as  the  eye  can  see,  are  green  fields,  graz 
ing  herds  of  cattle,  planted  and  natural  groves,  comforta 
ble  buildings,  and  great  white-painted  school-houses.  Not 
a  hill,  not  a  valley  or  a  grove  but  they  call  forth  touching 
recollections,  some  mingled  with  sorrow  and  pain,  but  by  far 
the  most  bright  and  cheerful ;  for  here  I  spent  the  first  hope 
ful  years  of  my  manhood  ;  here  we  lived,  the  first  Swedes  in 
Minnesota,  in  a  circle  of  innocent  and  faithful  friends;  here  I 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  307 

won  the  wife  who  tenderly  and  faithfully  has  shared  the  vi 
cissitudes  of  life  with  me,  in  sorrow  and  in  joy  ever  the  same; 
here  those  of  my  countrymen  who  followed  me  \vhen  I  was 
yet  but  a  youth,  have  acquired  independence,  happiness,  and 
such  esteem  that  the  settlement  of  Vasa  has  a  reputation 
among  the  communities  of  the  state  which  reflects  honor  up 
on  the  memory  of  the  great  king  whose  name  it  bears. 

But  this  picture  of  development,  culture  and  progress  is 
not  confined  to  this  settlement,  for  countless  other  Scandi 
navian  settlements  in  the  west  and  northwest  have  made  as 
great  progress  within  a  comparatively  short  time. 

On  my  arrival  in  1852  the  Mississippi  river  was  the  north 
western  boundary  line  of  civilization  with  the  exception  of 
the  state  of  Iowa,  which  then  had  only  a  small  population. 
Since  that  time  twelve  new  states  further  west  have  been 
peopled  and  admitted  into  the  Union.  There  was  no  rail 
road  west  of  Chicago ;  now  the  immense  distance  between 
the  Mississippi  and  the  Pacific  ocean  is  spanned  by  four 
giant  railroads,  while  more  than  a  hundred  trunk  and  branch 
lines  intersect  the  country  in  all  directions,  and  lakes  and 
rivers  are  navigated  by  hundreds  of  steamers,  which  com 
pete  with  the  railroads  in  carrying  the  products  of  the  West 
to  the  Atlantic,  whence  they  are  distributed  over  the  whole 
civilized  world. 

Hundreds  of  cities  that  did  not  exist,  even  by  name,  have 
since  sprung  up  as  if  by  magic,  and  some  of  them  have  al 
ready  become  renowned  throughout  the  world  for  their  in 
dustry,  commerce  and  culture.  Among  them  are  Min 
neapolis  and  St.  Paul,  already  intertwining  their 
arms  around  each  other  in  an  embrace  that  will 
soon  unite  them  into  one.  The  former  did  not  exist 
when  I  first  gazed  on  St.  Anthony  falls,  which  now  furnishes 
motive  power  for  its  magnificent  mills  and  factories,  and  the 
latter  was  a  town  of  about  two  thousand  inhabitants. 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  309 

Their  combined  population  is  now  one-third  of  a  million. 
St.  Paul  contains  a  large  number  of  Scandinavians,  but 
Minneapolis  seems  to  be  their  favoritecity,  the  Swedes  alone 
numbering  over  forty  thousand.  They  have  many  churches, 
private  schools,  academies  and  other  institutions  of  learning. 
The  three  Scandinavian  nationalities  agree  pretty  well  in 
our  good  state,  and  have  united  their  efforts  in  several  enter 
prises  of  some  magnitude.  In  Minneapolis  there  are  several 
banks  and  other  monetary  institutions  owned  and  controlled 
by  them,  not  to  mention  hundreds  of  other  important  com 
mercial  and  manufacturing  establishments  due  to  the  enter 
prise  of  our  countrymen.  Having  gradually  learned  the 
language  and  the  ways  of  this  country,  a  surprisingly  large 
number  of  the  Scandinavians  who  began  their  career  as 
common  laborers  have  engaged  successfully  in  business  on 
their  own  account,  and  many  have  devoted  themselves  to 
professions  demanding  a  higher  education,  which  is  greatly 
facilitated  by  a  number  of  excellent  academies  and  colleges 
established  and  supported  by  them  in  several  of  the  western 
states.  A  great  number  of  county  offices  are  filled  by  the 
Scandinavian- Americans  ;  in  our  legislature  there  are  general 
ly  from  thirty  to  forty  members  of  that  nationality  ;  many  of 
them  have  occupied  positions  of  the  highest  trust  and  honor 
as  officers  of  the  state  and  of  the  United  States,  and  no  one 
can  deny  the  fact  that  they  have  universally  proved  them- 

*  selves  fully  equal  in  ability  and    trust-worthiness    to  the 

.native  born. 

-  But  it  is  not  only  in  Minneapolis  or  in  Minnesota,  but 
throughout  the  whole  country  that  the  Scandinavians  have 
gained  such  a  good  name,  that  in  all  the  recent  agitation 
against  foreign  emigrants,  not  one  voice  has  been  heard 
against  them.  They  learn  the  English  language  well  and 
fpiickly,  and  assimilate  readily  with  the  native  American  ele 
ment,  which  is  natural  enough  considering  that  they  are  to 


310  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

/ 

a  very  large  extent  of  the  same  blood  and  ancestry  as  the 
English  people,  and  that  the  English  language  is  borrowed 
to  no  small  extent  from  the  Scandinavian. 

Americans  often  express  astonishment  at  the  ease  and  cor 
rectness  with  which  the  Scandinavian  immigrants  acquire 
the  English  language.  A  little  s  t  udy  of  philology  will  readily 
account  for  it.  If  we  take,  for  instance,  the  names  of  house 
hold  goods,  domestic  animals,  and  other  things  appertain 
ing  to  the  common  incidents  of  plain  every-day  life,  we  find 
the  English  words  almost  identical  with  the  Scandinavian 
terms,  only  varying  in  the  form  of  spelling  or  perhaps  pro 
nunciation,  as  those  are  apt  to  change  with  time  and  locali 
ty.  For  example:  English— ox,  cow,  swine,  cat,  hound,  rat, 
mouse,  hen,  goose,  chicken;  Swedish — oxe,  ko,  svin,  katt, 
hund,  rotta,  mus,  hona,  gas,  kyckling.  Of  implements: 
English — wagon,  plow,  harrow,  spade,  axe,  knife,  kettle,  pot, 
pan,  cup ;  Swedish— wagn,  plog,  harf,  spada,  yxa,  knif,  kit- 
tel,  potta,  panna,  kopp.  Or  the  part  of  our  own  bodies, 
such  as:  English — hair,  skin,  eyes,  nose,  ears,  mouth,  lips, 
teeth,  shoulders,  arm,  hand,  finger,  nail,  foot,  toe,  etc.; 
Swedish — har,  skinn,  ogon,  nasa,  oron,  mun,  lapp,  tand, 
skuldra,  arm,  hand,  finger,  nagel,  fot,  and  ta.  Or  of  the  oc 
cupations  of  the  common  people,  such  as:  English — spin, 
weave,  cook,  sow,  sew;  Swedish— spinna,  vafva,  koka,  sa, 
sy,  etc.  In  this  connection  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
quote  one  of  England's  most  eminent  authors  and  scholars, 
Edward  Bulwer  Lytton,  who  says : 

"  A  magnificent  race  of  men  were  those  war  sons  of  the  old  North,  whom 
our  popular  histories,  so  superficial  in  their  accounts  of  this  age,  include 
in  the  common  name  ot  the  '  Danes.' 

"  They  replunged  into  barbarism  the  nations  over  which  they  swept ;  but 
from  the  barbarism  they  reproduced  the  noblest  element  of  civilization. 
Swede,  Norwegian  and  Dane,  differing  in  some  minor  points,  when  close 
ly  examined,  had  yet  one  common  character  viewed  at  a  distance.  They 
had  the  same  prodigious  energy,  the  same  passion  for  freedom,  individual 
and  civil,  the  same  splendid  errors  in  the  thirst  for  fame  and  the  point  of 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  311 

honor,  and  above  all,  as  a  main  cause  of  civilization,  they  were  wonderful 
ly  pliant  and  malleable  in  their  adventures  -with  the  people  they  overran. 

"At  that  time,  A.  D.  1055,  these  Northmen,  under  the  common  name  of 
Danes,  were  peaceably  settled  in  no  less  than  fifteen  counties  in  England; 
their  nobles  abounded  in  towns  and  cities  beyond  the  boundaries  of  those 
counties,  which  bore  the  distinct  appellation  of  Danelagh.  They  were  num 
erous  in  London,  in  the  precincts  of  which  they  had  their  own  burial- 
place,  to  the  chief  municipal  court  of  which  they  gave  their  own  appella 
tion— the  Husting." 

It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  ascertain  the  exact  number 
of  Scandinavians  and  their  descendants  in  this  country,  but 
we  can  come  very  near  it  by  studying  the  statistics  of  the 
United  States  treasury  department,  a  recent  report  from  which 
gives  the  number  of  emigrants  during  the  last  seventy  years 
from  Sweden  and  Norway  as  943,330,  and  from  Denmark  as 
146,237,  or  a  total  since  the  year  1820  of  1,089,567;  while 
the  same  report  gives  the  number  during  the  same  period 
from  Germany  as  4,551,719;  Ireland,  3,501,683;  England, 
1,460,054;  English  Colonies,  1,029,083;  Austria-Hungaria, 
464,435;  Italy,  414,513;  France,  370,162;  Russia,  356,- 
353;  Scotland,  329,192;  Switzerland,  174,333. 

When  we  take  into  consideration  the  numerous  Swedish 
colonies  that  settled  in  Delaware,  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  their  descendants,  to 
gether  with  the  descendants  of  Scandinavian  emigrants  of 
the  last  seventy  years,  I  think  it  is  safe  to  estimate  the  total 
population  of  Scandinavian  descent  at  over  four  millions,  or 
fully  one-sixteenth  of  the  entire  population  of  the  United 
States.  The  very  fact  that  the  nationality  assimilates  so 
readily  with  the  native  American  element  causes  it  to  be 
lost  sight  of;  and  it  should  be  so,  for  the  only  desirable 
immigrants  to  this  country  are  those  who  cease  to  be  for 
eigners,  and  merge  right  into  the  American  nation.  Such  are 
certainly  the  Scandinavians.  They  do  not  bring  over  any' 
grievances  from  the  mother  country  to  correct  or  avenge, 
and  there  are  no  Clan-na-Gael,  no  Mafia  societies  among' 


312  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

them,  nor  are  there  any  anarchists  or  revolutionists.  They 
come  here  to  build  homes  for  themselves  and  their  children  ; 
they  are  contented  and  grateful  for  the  privileges  of  Ameri 
can  citizenship,  and  make  themselves  worthy  of  it  by  push 
ing  into  the  front  rank  in  the  onward  march  of  education, 
philanthropy  and  religion,  as  well  as  in  material  progress. 

One  illustration,  among  many  that  might  be  given,  is 
found  in  the  report  of  a  late  conference  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  from  which  it  appears  that  they  have 
now  in  Minnesota  alone  two  hundred  and  forty-five  parish 
es,  with  one  hundred  and  seventy-nine  churches,  valued  at 
over  six  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  all  paid  for.  The 
Norwegian  Lutheran  Church  would  undoubtedly  show  equal 
if  not  better  results,  though  I  cannot  give  the  exact  figures. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  which  some  make,  to  think  that  it 
is  only  for  their  brawn  and  muscle  that  the  Northmen  have 
become  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  American  population  ; 
on  the  contrary,  they  have  done  and  are  doing  as  much  as 
any  other  nationality  within  the  domain  of  mind  and  heart. 
Not  to  speak  of  the  early  discovery  of  America  by  the  Scan 
dinavians  five  hundred  years  before  the  time  of  Columbus, 
they  can  look  back  with  proud  satisfaction  on  the  part 
they  have  taken  in  all  respects  to  make  this  great  republic 
what  it  is  to-day. 

The  early  Swedish  colonists  in  Delaware,  Pennsylvania 
and  New  Jersey  worked  as  hard  for  liberty  and  independence 
as  the  English  did  in  New  England  and  in  the  South.  There 
.were  no  tories  among  them,  and  when  the  continental  con 
gress  stood  wavering  equal  in  the  balance  for  and  against 
the  adoption  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  it  was  a 
Swede,  John  Morton  (Mortenson),  of  the  old  Delaware 
stock,  who  gave  the  casting  vote  of  Pennsylvania  in  favor 
of  the  sacred  document. 

When  nearly  a  century  later  the  great  rebellion  burst  up- 


STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT.  313 

on  the  land,  a  gallant  descendant  of  the  Swedes,  Gen.  Robert. 
Anderson,    met    its    first    shock    at    Fort    Sumter,    and, 
during  the  bitter  struggle  of  four  years  which  followed,  the  s 
Scandinavian- Americans  were  as  true  and  loyal  to    their' 
adopted  country  as  their  native-born  neighbors,  giving  their ,1 
unanimous  support  to  the  cause  of  the  Union  and  fighting- 
valiantly  for  it;  nor  should  it  be  forgotten  that  it  was  the 
Swede  John  Ericson,  who,  by  his  inventive  genius,  saved  the  f 
navy  and  the  great  seaports  of  the  United  States,  and  that 
it  was  another  Swede  by  descent,  Admiral  Dahlgren,   who 
furnished  the  model  for  the    finest  guns  of  our  artillery. 
Surely  love  of  freedom,  valor,  genius,  patriotism  and  religi 
ous  fervor  was  not  planted  in  America  by  the  seeds  brought 
over  in  the  Mayflower  alone. 

Yes,  it  is  verily  true  that  the  Scandinavian  immigrants, 
from  the  early  colonists  of  1638  to  the  present  time,  have 
furnished  strong  hands,  clear  heads  and  loyal  hearts  to 
the  republic.  They  have  caused  the  wilderness  to  blossom 
like  the  rose;  they  have  planted  schools  and  churches  on 
the  hills  and  in  the  valleys ;  they  have  honestly  and  ably 
administered  the  public  affairs  of  town,  county  and  state; 
they  have  helped  to  make  wise  laws  for  their  respective 
commonwealths  and  in  the  halls  of  congress;  they  have, 
with  honor  and  ability,  represented  their  adopted  country 
abroad;  they  have  sanctified  the  American  soil  by  their 
blood,  shed  in  freedom's  cause  on  the  battle-fields  of  the 
revolution  and  the  civil  war;  and  though  proud  of  their 
Scandinavian  ancestry,  they  love  America  and  American 
institutions  as  deeply  and  as  truly  as  do  the  descendants 
of  the  Pilgrims,  the  starry  emblem  of  liberty  meaning 
as  much  to  them  as  to  any  other  citizen. 

Therefore,  the  Scandinavian-American  feels  a  certain  sense 
of  ownership  in  the  glorious  heritage  of  American  soil,  with 
its  rivers,  lakes,  mountains,  valleys,  woods  and  prairies,  and 


314  STORY  OF  AN  EMIGRANT. 

in  all  its  noble  institutions ;  and  he  feels  that  the  blessings 
which  he  enjoys  are  not  his  by  favor  or  sufferance,  but  by 
right ;  by  moral  as  well  as  civil  right.    For  he  took  posses 
sion  of  the  wilderness,  endured  the  hardships  of  the  pioneer, 
contributed  his  full  share  toward  the  grand  results  accom 
•plished,  and  is  in  mind  and  heart  a  true  and  loyal  American 
'citizen. 


THE  END. 


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